How to plant parsley for the winter and when is the best time to do it?

At the end of the summer season, almost every gardener plants parsley before winter. And such sowing is justified, because already in March you can get early greens to your table! To avoid possible problems, especially for novice vegetable growers, in this article we will consider simple but effective norms of agricultural technology.

These standards regulate both the timing of planting and the number of fertilizing applications. Following the rules will be the key to a rich harvest of greenery in the spring.

Advantages of winter sowing

Parsley is one of the brightest representatives of the spice; it is revered in every family. And resistance to frost allows you to plant greens almost all year round, and sowing before winter has a number of advantages.

1. Abundant yield. Seeds that have survived autumn and winter frosts in the soil will become many times more hardy, stronger and healthier. And these qualities mean a high rate of friendly shoots;
2. Harvest speed. Parsley planted before winter will produce a harvest of greenery in the shortest possible time. After the snow melts, seedlings appear 3-4 weeks earlier than spring planting. A blanket of snow prevents the sprouts from freezing, and the first rays of the sun and warmth will help them grow faster. This is why gardeners believe that planting parsley in open ground before winter is very beneficial;
3. Versatility. The bed where this spice was grown can be reused. Not every vegetable crop can boast of such versatility;
4. Saving spring time. In spring, active gardening work begins. And more time is freed up for her, because she doesn’t have to spend it on planting greenery.

The optimal time for sowing parsley seeds in the fall is the end of October or the first ten days of November. But these terms depend on the climate of your region and temperature conditions.

Important! In autumn, seed material is planted in partially frozen soil at an average daily temperature of up to +2 degrees. If planting is done at higher daytime temperatures, the seeds will germinate but will die if frozen.

Night temperatures that fluctuate between 2-3 degrees below zero are a sign that it is time to plant the seeds. Some gardeners also plant herbs in greenhouses before winter.

☝️ Aftercare

Immediately after planting dill in late autumn, no plant care is required. In the spring, early varieties do not need fertilizer if the soil has been well prepared in the fall before planting .

As soon as the first greens appear, you need to:

• Loosen the rows.
• Water 2 times a week, depending on the amount of rainfall.
• Remove weeds.

Autumn sowing of a spicy plant has its advantages. Dill produces very powerful tops, does not shoot arrows, blooms for a long time, is not afraid of frost and produces a harvest a couple of weeks earlier.

Preparation of seed material

Parsley seeds contain a high percentage of essential oils. That is why the grains take a long time to sprout. To achieve faster emergence of seedlings, the seed must be prepared before planting in the soil.

Planting parsley in the fall before winter consists of the following stages of seed preparation:

1. Careful selection and culling of seed material. Damaged, very small, low-quality seeds must be removed from the total quantity. To speed up the process of seedling emergence, keep the grains in a disinfectant solution for a short time. You can use a solution of potassium permanganate, boric acid or copper sulfate for these purposes;
2. Soaking seed material. The seeds are wrapped in a damp soft cloth or gauze for 5 days. It is important to maintain the room temperature (+22-25 degrees) for the entire soaking period. The fabric must also be kept moist;
3. Hardening. Noticing that the seeds begin to hatch, leave them in a damp cloth for another while, lowering the temperature to +2-3 degrees! Sprouted seeds in gauze are placed on the “vegetable” shelf of the refrigerator for one week. And only after these procedures are they fully prepared for planting.

There are other, no less effective methods of preparing seeds, but gardeners often do not use them. We will look briefly at how you can prepare root and leaf parsley seeds for planting before winter:

1. Bubbling. A compressor is used that continuously saturates the water (about 20 ° C) with oxygen or air. The seeds are disinfected and germinate quickly;
2. Vernalization. To carry out vernalization, the swollen grains are kept at low temperatures above zero for some time (for example, at night), and then during the day at a temperature of +18-22 degrees. Vernalization takes 7-10 days;
3. Pelleting. You need a dragitor that envelops the seeds with a protective coating. A complex of mineral fertilizers, peat, and humus is used for the shell. Dried “balls” sprout faster and develop better.

Which option for preparing seed material to choose is up to the gardener to decide!

Beet

Beets and onions get along well in the same bed

Since beets germinate earlier than others, it is better to play it safe and sow them 7-10 days later than other “winter” vegetables. In the middle zone, sowing begins in the first half of November.

For table beets, choose an area that has not been fertilized with fresh mullein for the last 1-2 years. But mineral fertilizers are well suited for root crops.

Before sowing, the soil is dug up to a depth of 25-30 centimeters. Seeds are planted to a depth of 3 centimeters, leaving 25 centimeters between rows, and 7-8 centimeters between plants.

Of the root crop varieties, I advise you to choose only late-ripening ones - for example, Podzimnyaya, Polar Ploskaya and Northern Shar.

Selecting a landing site

A correctly selected ridge for sowing is one of the important components when growing parsley in the cold season. To choose the right place, adhere to the following criteria:

1. Illumination. Since this greenery is an unpretentious crop in terms of growing conditions, parsley will feel quite comfortable in a shady place. But light will allow you to harvest a larger harvest of both leaves and roots. It is optimal for planting parsley before winter in the Moscow region to choose a location where daylight hours are longest, that is, an open area;
2. If you previously grew tomatoes, onions, potatoes, garlic or cabbage in your garden, this is a big advantage. And you will have to look for another bed if carrots previously grew in this place;
3. Snowy conditions. The more snow there is in the future bed in winter, the better for the plants. A snow cushion will protect them from winter frosts and provide the necessary level of humidity.

Plants need moisture to grow, but not too much. Do not use beds for planting parsley where there is a risk of flooding with melt water.

What time will we choose for landing?

In order to choose the right autumn period for planting greenery, you need to have a certain trick. The thing is that if you plant the seeds early and they do not have time to acclimatize in the cold soil, then with the onset of frost they will simply die.

But there is another point, which is that if you plant the seeds too early, they may sprout in warm weather, and then, accordingly, die with the onset of cold weather. In general, we need to look for a middle ground.

We choose a planting time and check the soil.

There are basic planting recommendations that should be followed. It is necessary to wait until the first frosts, and then pay attention to the general condition of the soil. If the top layer of soil is frozen to 3 cm, then you can safely sow greens.

If we talk about the same thing, only in temperature language, then during the day the average temperature should be + 3 degrees, and at night it should not fall below -3 degrees.

Preparing the soil in the garden bed

Thanks to properly prepared soil in early autumn, you can get a bountiful harvest of greenery in the spring. To create the ideal soil mixture for sowing parsley seeds you need:

1. After harvesting, remove bushes from plants growing in the garden bed. Treat the soil with potassium salt and superphosphate: per 1 m2 you will need 20 grams of a fertilizer mixture;
2. Add rotted manure in combination with sand. The soil from such fertilizing conducts moisture well and is easily loosened;
3. Improve the top layer of soil by “diluting” it with peat or sand.

As a result of the work done, the garden bed will have airy and soft soil for planting parsley before winter, when the time comes to plant.

Features of planting in the cold season

Planting greenery before winter has its own characteristics and advantages. The harvest will be as early as possible. Plants are actively germinating, strong and strong shoots appear. They are edible immediately after the snow melts.

Attention! Early harvesting of greenery makes it possible to reuse this area.

How to choose the right place

For sowing seeds, choose open areas that warm up well in the sun and where the snow quickly melts in the spring. A good option for a garden bed is southern slopes.

You can choose a place for planting under the crown of a tree - there is no risk of shading, since greenery appears much earlier than the buds bloom.

It is not recommended to use the site in the shade of buildings and fences. When sowing parsley and dill in winter, lowlands should also be avoided.

When choosing a location, keep in mind that greenery is demanding on the composition of the soil. Plant crops love fertile, organic-rich soil with a light and loose structure. The best option for growing them is soil with neutral acidity.

Reference. Dill and parsley do not grow well in acidic soil. However, excessive liming is also not recommended, since if there is too much lime in the garden bed, the dill will change color from green to red.

It is useful to plant seeds in areas where they were previously grown:

• cabbage;
• potato;
• cucumbers;
• beets;
• carrot.

Preparing the bed

Before choosing what to sow in the garden before winter, you need to properly prepare the area. It's good if it's on a hill. Otherwise, an artificial “mound” is made. Thanks to this, the seeds will not get wet and will retain their properties. Prepare the bed immediately after harvesting, about 1.5 months before sowing. They dig it up thoroughly and remove the weed rhizomes.

Since the soil for planting must be loose, clay soil is pre-fertilized:

• humus;
• wood ash;
• peat;
• minerals that do not contain nitrogen.

Without fertilizing, heavy soil becomes even denser in the cold season, which makes it difficult for greenery to germinate. Lime is added to reduce the acidity level of the soil. The surface is carefully leveled with a rake.

If planting or sowing is planned after the first frost, holes are made in the garden bed. To prevent them from being washed away by precipitation, cover them with film.

Pre-winter sowing of seeds at home and in the garden

Parsley seeds are sown both in the open garden and at home. When sowing in a garden bed, use 1/3 more seeds than in the spring. Despite the frost resistance of the crop and stratification, only 70% of the seeds germinate successfully.

In an open garden

There are no particular difficulties when planting parsley in the garden in the fall, even for a novice gardener. Let's look at the sowing process step by step:

1. Pre-soaked and cooled seeds must dry to remove excess moisture. It takes 2-3 hours to dry;
2. In the garden bed, rows are made up to 1.5 cm deep (there is a 15 cm distance between them) and the soil is slightly irrigated;
3. The grains are placed in the grooves and covered with pre-prepared soil;
4. After planting the seeds, lay a layer of mulch on the ground, 5 cm is enough;
5. To speed up the germination of the first seedlings, the beds with crops are covered with plastic film. It is removed when sprouts appear. This cover will help maintain the optimal temperature for plants.

If all sowing conditions have been met, then after 10 days the first shoots will appear. When using dry seeds when planting leaf and root parsley in the fall before winter, it will take longer for germination.

Planting in winter at home

If you don’t have a garden, and the prices for greens in the store are “bitter” throughout the winter months, then sow parsley and other herbs at home using pots or a large container.

Let's look at step-by-step planting of seed material.

1. The seeds need to be soaked for three days. Soaking is carried out in water within 38 degrees. Every 12 hours you need to change the water (the temperature is the same!);
2. The container is equipped with drainage (2-3 cm) made of pebbles or expanded clay;
3. Fill up with fertilized soil from the garden (if available) or use a purchased substrate;
4. Water the soil with water and compact the resulting “bed” a little;
5. Make shallow furrows and sow the seeds, sprinkling them with a small layer of soil;
6. The container with the crops is placed on a well-lit windowsill;
7. The temperature for homemade parsley should be within 15-20 degrees. Deviation below +15 degrees leads to slower growth of seedlings. If it is more than +20 degrees, young shoots will dry out.

For home growing parsley when planting before winter, the time to plant seeds is from October to December.

As soon as the bushes grow up to 10 cm in height, feel free to harvest: such tender and aromatic greens are suitable for consumption.

When is the best time to plant

The timing of sowing seeds may differ for different climatic zones. Depending on the weather, greens are planted in October-early December. A necessary condition for winter sowing is stable cooling. The air temperature should be around 0°C. Select a time when the soil freezes at night and thaws during the day.

Reference! If snow is already falling, this will not be an obstacle to sowing. The snow is simply swept away from the garden bed and the seeds are planted.

Timing for planting parsley and dill before winter

Any greenery grown by gardeners on their plots is a real storehouse of vitamins and other substances beneficial to the body, which is very important in the spring. Therefore, it is clear that the sooner the gardener receives a harvest of parsley or dill, the sooner he will be able to prepare tasty and healthy salads, or use fresh herbs to prepare other dishes.

This means that the question of whether it is possible to sow green seeds in the fall seems quite reasonable, because it is well known that winter plantings produce earlier spring shoots and an earlier harvest.

The answer to this question is yes. Of course, greens can and should be planted in the fall, especially such unpretentious plants that are accustomed to our weather, such as parsley and dill.

I know for sure that many gardeners do not plant dill at all, because it has a great ability to self-sow, and if you do not remove the dill umbrellas with seeds until late autumn, the seeds will fall off and the dill will certainly germinate in the spring. But, of course, it is better to approach sowing the seeds of the desired plants more scientifically, and plant dill, as well as parsley, and other greens, in pre-prepared beds at the right time.

What is the right time to plant dill or parsley seeds? This is when the seeds may have time to swell slightly in the soil, but will not yet begin to germinate. This means that you need to start planting greenery in the fall at a time when the air temperature is slightly below zero, when constant frosts begin at night, and the earth sets into a dense crust. Under such conditions, the planted seeds will safely survive the winter, not sprouting until the spring sun warms the frozen ground.

The weather conditions necessary for planting greenery are established in most regions in mid-October - early November. This means that winter planting of greenery should be planned for this time.

As I already said, parsley and dill belong to extremely unpretentious plants, from the category about which gardeners say “planted and forgotten.” But this does not give us the right to neglect the most basic rules when planting these plants, hoping for chance. And here we come to the issue of using the Lunar calendar when planting.

The lunar calendar is important, and perhaps the main assistant to any gardener, both a beginner and even a master. After all, he tells the gardener those days on which planting will bring the best results. Under any conditions, planting greenery seeds according to the Lunar calendar will give better results than planting at random, just on a convenient day for the gardener.

In what lunar phases should you plant greens in the fall?

Let's see what exactly the Lunar calendar advises gardeners in terms of planting dill and parsley seeds.

Dill and parsley both belong to the Umbelliferae family, meaning they are fairly close relatives. Both of these plants are full of vitamins and have many health benefits. Both are actively used in cooking. But that's where their similarities end.

If we use mainly young shoots of dill for food, then we can also use rhizomes of parsley. Moreover, even salad varieties of parsley by the end of the season produce quite large root crops that are simply a sin to throw away.

Therefore, it is better to plant dill on greens during the waxing moon, which is most favorable for the development of the above-ground parts of plants. And parsley can be planted both on the waxing Moon, if you plan to get early greens, and on the waning Moon, if it is equally important for you to get healthy and tasty parsley roots.

Let's say right away that if you plant greenery on a waning Moon, it will still grow and produce a harvest, but the amount of this harvest and the usefulness of the greenery will be somewhat lower than when planting greenery on a truly favorable lunar day. Therefore, the decision of exactly when and why to plant parsley in the fall always remains with the gardener.

So, the Lunar calendar tells us that to get an early harvest of salad greens, dill and parsley seeds should be planted on the waxing Moon. The Lunar calendar will help you choose the most favorable day for planting greenery. It takes into account all possible nuances of the interaction of the Moon, Earth, constellations and planets. Plant greens according to the Lunar calendar and enjoy the early and healthy greens of dill and parsley.

Favorable days for planting dill and parsley before winter

Planting dill and parsley on tops is favorable during the transit of the night luminary through the signs of Cancer, Leo, Scorpio and Sagittarius. Planting parsley on its roots is favorable on the waning Moon in the signs of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio and Capricorn.

Parsley varieties for winter sowing

Not all crop varieties can tolerate planting well before winter. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend the following frost-resistant leaf varieties:

• Bogatyr;
• Leafy common;
• Breeze;
• Leafy curly;
• Carnival;
• Esmeralda.

The following varieties of root parsley give a good harvest when sown in winter:

• Alba;
• Sugar;
• Berlin;
• Spicy;
• Good morning;
• Harvest.

So the gardener has which varieties to choose from.

When determining the most suitable time for planting parsley in winter, it is important to choose it so as to prevent seed germination in the fall. They just need to swell!

The period for pre-winter sowing is limited by the first night frosts, when a thin edge of ice appears on the ground, and temperatures at night fluctuate around +2-3 degrees. These are the most optimal times for planting parsley before winter.

The best varieties for winter cultivation

Despite the above, not all types of greens are equally suitable for wintering in the ground. For autumn planting, it is necessary to choose varieties that have maximum frost resistance, especially if we are talking about those regions where winters are quite severe.

Below are varieties of parsley and dill that can be safely planted in the fall in the temperate climate zone:

Planting care in winter and spring

Until the first sprouts appear above the soil, caring for future spicy greens consists of careful attention to irrigation and ventilation. Water the plants regularly, as soon as the soil noticeably dries out, but not abundantly. The presence of weeds is also unacceptable - they are removed as they appear.

If severe frosts suddenly begin, the parsley is covered with a special agrofibre, which allows air to pass through perfectly.

As soon as 2-3 true leaves appear, they begin to thin out the seedlings. Any manipulations before winter are carried out carefully, taking care not to harm the fragile sprout and its root system.

In order for parsley to form full-fledged leaf rosettes, you need to feed it twice: when the first leaves appear and when a full-fledged small leaf rosette is formed.

For feeding, organic fertilizer is used, consisting of cow humus or leaf compost: 1 kg of organic matter is diluted in 9 liters of water. It would not be superfluous to add 15 grams of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

When planting parsley before winter in the Urals, an excellent prevention against various diseases will be:

• timely irrigation and loosening;
• thinning seedlings and applying fertilizers.

Rarely, but spicy greens can be susceptible to diseases:

• white spotting;
• rust;
• brown rot;
• early burn;
• powdery mildew.

If signs of disease are detected, use a weak solution of one percent Bordeaux mixture for treatment. The green parts of the plant are treated with the solution. Treatment with a 1% solution of colloidal sulfur relieves parsley bushes of powdery mildew.

Instructions for planting greenery

A novice gardener can handle sowing:

1. The prepared area is leveled and watered moderately.
2. Make uniform grooves 1-2 cm deep (depending on the diameter of the seeds). To do this, use a stick or a hand hoe. Between furrows maintain 15-20 cm.
3. Seeds are placed in the depressions at a distance of 7-12 cm. If you are not sure of their germination, frequent planting is allowed.
4. The seeds are sprinkled with soil and the substrate is slightly compacted with the palms of your hands.
5. If desired, mulch with compost, peat, and cover with spruce branches if cool nights are expected.

When you plant a heat-loving crop, there is a threat of cold weather, cover the ridge with thick polyethylene. Do not remove the protection before the first shoots appear. Then the film should be left on cold nights.

Harvest and storage

Green leaf blades of parsley are collected gradually: as they grow and are needed. If you take a rational approach to collecting leaves and root vegetables, this will provide the summer resident with fresh and aromatic herbs for a long time.

Depending on your needs, you can preserve parsley leaves in different ways. For long-term storage of the crop, the green mass is dried or frozen. And if the greens will be used in the next 2-3 weeks, then just put them in the refrigerator. Alternatively, prepare it in vegetable oil.

Parsley roots grown in winter and spring are best stored in a wooden box in a cool place. To better preserve the roots, it is recommended to cover them with sawdust or sprinkle them with sand.

Parsley is a wonderful, unpretentious plant that grows well in both frosty winters and hot summers. Plant these fragrant greens before winter and get a generous harvest in March!

Is it possible to sow parsley and dill before winter?

Parsley and dill are plant crops with high frost resistance. When sowing in autumn, the greens sprout quickly and amicably immediately after the snow melts. If seeds are sown in spring, their germination rate will be significantly lower.

This phenomenon is explained by two reasons:

1. The seeds contain essential oils that delay germination and prevent the absorption of moisture necessary for germination.
2. In spring, the soil may not be sufficiently moistened.

Seed material planted before winter not only tolerates frosts down to -4°C, but also receives a lot of moisture when the snow melts. A large amount of water in the soil promotes the leaching of essential oils, which ensures rapid swelling of seeds and their germination.

Advantages and disadvantages of autumn sowing

To get an early harvest, gardeners have discovered a new approach to the matter. They researched what greens could be planted before winter and noticed positive results.

Autumn planting has a number of advantages:

• early harvesting of crops;
• seed hardening;
• saving family budget and time (buying vegetables and herbs from the market);
• the fruits are larger and the foliage is juicier;
• the early appearance of sprouts protects crops from pests that are still dormant;
• less energy goes into spring work.

But, to be completely honest, we also note some disadvantages of autumn agricultural technology. Unfortunately, young seedlings may suffer from spring frosts. Sometimes crops planted in the fall shoot out the arrow and bear not fruits, but only seeds. Some crops lose their normal yield and are unsuitable for long-term storage. Despite this, the desire to have fresh herbs on the table in early spring outweighs all the disadvantages.

First, we will learn the general principles of gardening, and then we will analyze the process of planting parsley and dill in more detail.