Parsley 'Italian Giant' Seeds

Yes. Parsley is slower to germinate than some herbs, but once it’s up it’s very easy to grow. Expect seeds to take around 14–21 days to sprout if the soil is warm and evenly moist. On effort, this one looks after itself.

Seedlings usually appear in 14–28 days. Watering: keep soil moist but not waterlogged.

Yes, Parsley Italian Giant grows well indoors on a bright windowsill. Use a pot with drainage holes, keep the compost moist but not waterlogged, and give the plant as much light as possible. It is suited to pots, beds and windowsills. It is a biennial: leaf in the first year, flowers in the second.

Parsley is rich in vitamins A, C and K, and is often used to support digestion and add fresh, bright flavour to meals. Botanically it is Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum, and it also goes by Flat Leaf Parsley and Italian Parsley.

Italian parsley grows best in full sun but also copes well with partial shade. In very hot spots, a little afternoon shade helps keep plants lush and stops them drying out too quickly. Grow it in well-drained soil in full or partial sun.

Parsley is a biennial, which means it usually produces leaves in its first year and flowers in its second. Once it flowers, the leaves become tougher and the plant will eventually decline, so many gardeners sow fresh parsley each year for the best harvest. Harvest: Pick leaves from summer onwards as needed. Flowering runs January to December.

Yes — this is a straightforward packet to give, and what makes it work as a gift is mostly timing. Sowing runs January to December, so a packet given inside that window can go straight in, and one given outside it keeps perfectly well until the season comes round.

There are approximately 175 seeds in the packet. On effort it looks after itself, which matters if you are giving it to someone new to growing. It suits pots, beds and windowsills, so it works for a small space as well as a garden.