Why parsley?

Parsley is a Mediterranean native used worldwide both as a garnish and as a popular addition to savory dishes. Several varieties of parsley exist, from the more bitter and frilly garnish parsley to the flavorful, tender large-leaf varieties. Though popular mostly as a cooking ingredient, parsley has been used in a variety of ways, from a medicinal ingredient to a symbol in ceremonies like the Seder dinner.

Growing hydroponic parsley

This is an example of a garnish parsley; it has frilly leaves and it’s tougher than the flat leaf parsley in the video below.

For many farmers, growing hydroponic parsley is a no-brainer. Farmers with markets for Italian herbs will surely find a place for parsley in their repertoire, especially tender varieties offered fresh—a far cry from the tough and wilted garnishes delivered to chefs and grocery stores after a long road trip.

Parsley’s tolerance of wide temperature and EC ranges make it an easy crop for farmers to add into a crop set. Large leaf varieties like Italian flat-leaf grow abundantly in hydroponics (or aquaponics), and farmers using ZipGrow Towers should plan on harvesting a lot of weight from the large plants, which grow 12–18 inches from the face of the Tower or media.

Ideal conditions

  • EC: .8–1.8
  • pH: 5.5–6.0
  • Temperature: 60–75º F; very cold hardy

Parsley comes as an affordable seed and germinates within 3–4 weeks with good moisture. Seedlings are ready to transplant a few weeks later when they display their true leaves, and the first harvest typically happens 5–6 weeks after that.

Growing hydroponic parsley flat leaf italian

Parsley can be harvested multiple times similarly to chives. Use shears or a harvesting knife to cut the crop down to 2–3 inches from the face of the Tower or the media, and keep the rest of the plant in the system to regrow. Another harvest may be taken about 3 weeks later.

We recommend starting a new cycle for parsley after the second harvest. Parsley yields can be very high in healthy hydroponic systems—one 5-ft ZipGrow Tower can yield 3–4 pounds each harvest.

Pests on parsley are rare, but the grower might see aphids or thrips.

Creating a crop list?

Choosing crops for your farm requires a balance of market information and crop suitability. Growers have to choose crops that have overlapping needs, like:

  • pH range
  • EC range
  • Temperature range

Get this information for the most highly recommended crops for ZipGrow Towers in the Recommended Crop List.

 

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