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Two herbs, two life cycles
Parsley is usually grown as a biennial: it produces leaves in its first year, then flowers and sets seed in its second.
Read the full adviceHERBS · GROWING GUIDE
Parsley and chives: small pots for everyday cooking
Choose herbs that match the meals you cook. Parsley and chives are useful in modest quantities, and a pot near the kitchen makes those small harvests easy.
By Ma Petite Fleur · Updated 4 October 2026
Parsley foliage in a nursery pot.
Photo credit & licence
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr. CC BY 3.0 us. Original photograph on Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted to WebP; any card crop uses the same licence. Educational illustration; plants and cultivars vary.
THE SHORT VERSION
Start with these useful points
Seeds or a young plant?
Parsley can be grown from seed, but germination takes patience; a young nursery plant is a convenient alternative.
Read the full adviceGive the roots a workable routine
Grow in a bright position with suitable potting compost and drainage.
Read the full adviceTwo herbs, two life cycles
Parsley is usually grown as a biennial: it produces leaves in its first year, then flowers and sets seed in its second. Chives are a hardy perennial forming clumps. A flowering parsley plant and a winter-resting chive plant are not necessarily signs of poor care.
Seeds or a young plant?
Parsley can be grown from seed, but germination takes patience; a young nursery plant is a convenient alternative. Chives can be raised from seed or a divided clump. Label the pot and sowing date so you can follow progress without repeatedly disturbing the compost.
Give the roots a workable routine
Grow in a bright position with suitable potting compost and drainage. Keep the root zone from becoming excessively dry while allowing surplus water to escape. If container parsley needs a boost during growth, follow the instructions on an appropriate balanced feed rather than doubling the dose.
Harvest without emptying the pot
Pick parsley’s outer leaves as needed and let new growth develop. Cut chive leaves with clean scissors, leaving the base to regrow. Rotate between pots if you need frequent large harvests. A plant bought for one dinner may need time to establish before supplying a household every day.
Work with the season
Growth and harvests slow as light and temperature fall. Check outdoor pots for waterlogging and identify the plant before deciding it has died. Plan a new parsley sowing for continuity; do not expect a biennial to provide the same leaf crop forever.
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Growing references
Timings refer to UK conditions. Check the exact species, local weather and the instructions supplied with your plant.
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