Basil and Italian Parsley...when to pull?

16 years ago

Please help a city girl transplanted to the desert Southwest with closing down her first herb garden! I have had a very successful first year's garden and now that the weather is turning I am not sure what to do!

I have Genovese Basil and Italian Parsley in my herb garden. It's down to the high 50s at night although it does get into the 80s during the day still (high desert in central AZ) and it's sunny.

I would like the parsley to seed, the plants currently have those green seed pods but they are not dry or anything. Do I just let them go until they die? Will they drop seeds on their own or do I have to harvest them and plant them later? Should I let all of them drop their seeds (I have 10 goodsize plants) or just a couple? What do I do with the others? Can I still harvest leaves from them now that they have flowers?

And as for the basil, I know they are annuals, so when do I need to pull them out for good?

I've also got Greek Oregano, thyme and garlic chives. I know those will come back next year. Do I need to do anything now except continue to water? What about in the winter, do I have to mulch? How does one mulch, anyway?

I also have two huge mints in large urns that are going gangbusters...I know you can't kill the stuff, but should I be doing anything to help it come back next year?

Thanks so much for any help!!

Comments (8)

fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
Parsley with green seed pods? Maybe it's just a vocabulary issue but parsley really doesn't have pods per se. The seeds are formed where the umbrel (meaning umbrella-like) flower head was. If you know what dill seed heads look like, that is what the parsley seed heads should look similar to. I found a picture of parsley blooming for you: http://earlysnowdrop.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

The dry seeds are collected directly from the plant. Dill and the other flower/seed umbrel plants are some of the easiest ones to harvest seeds from. Save the seeds and plant them next spring.

As far as the annuals, let them grow until they give up the ghost. Sometimes it is surprising how long they can hang on.

If you are a new herb gardener, go to your local book store and look at the books they have on growing herbs. Find a book that resonates with you. It will help you immensely in planning, harvesting, and growing the plants in your garden.

FataMorgana
Daisyduckworth
16 years ago
Parsley seeds take quite a lot time to ripen up. When ripe, they'll be brown. Just be patient - you'll know when they're ready to collect. That means, of course, that you just leave the plants where they are. Some will inevitably fall by themselves, but I've always found that the fairies pick up these seeds and spread them all over the garden - including into the cracks between concrete pavers - so I end up with parsley plants all over the place! I don't mind that in the least!

I have no experience with gardening in a cold climate, but if you do a search around this forum you'll get plenty of information on how to prepare your plants for winter.
Related Discussions
licorice basil?
Q
Comments (4)
Hi~ Sounds like you saw a plant of 'Purple Ruffles' basil. I don't use mine as much in cooking as I use my Italian [Genovese, Large Leaf, or Sweet] basils or my Thai basils, because I have them handy to cook with. I also like to let my purple basils grow on in my container garden since they look so pretty, BUT as every good basil grower knows, almost all basils need pinched back periodically to make them bushy and to keep flowers from forming so they'll keep on blooming. So when I do pinch them back, I use my Purple Ruffles leaves in a salad, in tomato sauce, (they look dark, but not unappetizing) or as a garnish. Since I'm only using a few leaves at a time the anise or licorice-like flavor is not overwhelming. However, I read in a blog where the writer was super enthusiastic over pesto made with her purple basil (go to: www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/ and key in purple basil pesto in the search box. After reading that, I aim to try purple basil pesto when my tiny little purple basil seedlings in the garden grow big enough. She even gives a recipe for a delicious sounding purple basil pizza. Please note that the purple basil in her photo is not exactly the same as yours--hers doesn't have the ruffled edges (Red Rubin?) while yours does, but they should taste about the same. LATER: I just ran out to my potted purple basils to do a taste test, and yes, the taste was similar, but Purple Ruffles may have just a tad more of the licorice taste...
...See More
basil types
Q
Comments (9)
I've recently run across a new(to me, anyways), supplier of basil varieties. These people seem to have excellent sources for genuine Italian-grown seeds, including basil. I encourage anyone to check out their unusual varieties of vegetable seeds, and feedback from anyone who has dealt with these people(I haven't-yet). They come from a CSA background and seem willing to cater to market gardeners. While we're on the subject. This year, for the first time, I experienced a starnge mottled yellow appearance on about 10% of my 30 basil plants which I grew from storebought seeds of Italian Large Leaf. On some plants, scattered in different locations, either a whole or merely part of the plant became discolored with a mottled green/yellow color. This didn't kill any of the plants, but made the foliage unsalable. Anybody else? I'm thinking a virus disease, maybe. Here is a link that might be useful: Harvest Moon Farms
...See More
Really good italian sauce secrets
Q
Comments (33)
One of my favorite, basic tomato sauces comes from a recipe by Marcella Hazan, "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking". Quote from the book, "This is the simplest of all sauces to make, and has a purer, more irresistibly sweet tomato taste. I have known people to skip the pasta and eat the sauce directly out of the pot with a spoon." I will vouch for this sauce, it has a cult following. It's amazing! Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter Recipe by: Marcella Hazan 2 lbs fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded or 2 cups of good canned tomatoes, cut up with their juice 5 tablespoons of butter 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half Salt (to taste...I use about 1/2 teaspoon to start) Put the tomatoes (fresh or canned) in a saucepan, add the butter, onion and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomato. Stir from time to time, mashing any large piece of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and add salt if needed. Discard the onion before tossing with pasta. **Note: the cooked onion is wonderful! Don't throw it away...chop it up and eat it!
...See More
2 lbs of italian sausage..what to do..what to do
Q
Comments (29)
Terri, I missed the fact that the sausage was already ground. AND I missed the fact that you aren't looking for a pasta recipe. I would hate it if Moe didn't like pasta. How about making a stuffing for chicken using some of the ground sausage. You could stuff boneless chicken breasts or bone out and stuff a whole chicken. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Chicken - Deboned Stuffed Chicken ================================== Source: Pat Davis Cooking School, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1979 Note: A Boned out Three pound chicken will feed 6 nicely. 1 3 pound chicken or 4 Whole Chicken Breasts (not singles 3 cups Fresh Bread - Crumbled 1 small onion 1 clove garlic 1/4 pound of Sausage (I usually use one Italian Sausage) 1/4 pound of mushrooms 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons of fresh 1 egg Butter Chicken Broth Salt and pepper to taste Sauce 1/2 cup White Wine 1 cup Chicken Broth 1 onion 2 small tomatoes 1 garlic clove . Bone out whole chicken or if using just the breasts bone the breasts but leave them whole. DO NOT REMOVE SKIN Save bones. Saute onion, and garlic in butter. Add sausage, (if using link take meat out of casing), add sliced mushrooms and saute. Season with thyme,salt and pepper and mix in coarsely crumbled bread. Add chicken broth to moisten. Add egg. Stuff chicken,(or breasts) and sew up with unwaxed dental floss. Preheat oven to 375Â°. Place bones in shallow roasting pan and place chicken on bones. Roast for 30 minutes and then add one coarsely chopped onion, and two coarsely chopped tomatoes,and the garlic clove to the pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Chicken should sit above liquid resting on the bones. Continue roasting for another 30 to 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked. (note: Breasts take the less time) When cooked remove chicken to board to rest and remove bones from pan. Skim excess fat from pan juices add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and pour contents into blender. Puree to make sauce. To serve,Remove dental floss (comes out easy with one little pull). Slice breasts into nice rounds and place 3 or 4 slices on each plate.If using the whole chicken, also slice in to 1/2 inch slices and place one to two on each plate. Drizzle with sauce.
...See More
evaperconti
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you both! Yes, I did mean flower head...and that's exactly what they look like. I'll leave them until they dry and then collect the seeds. I'll also be on the lookout for errant parsley amid the rocks!

I was hoping I could leave the basil for a while yet...it's not horribly cold and we don't get a frost warning until late in October/early November usually.

Thanks again for all of your wonderful wisdom, both here and in general on the forum. You're very kind to share your wealth of knowledge so generously.
Daisyduckworth
16 years ago
It's always a pleasure to be of help, AND to receive a thanks in return!

You'll know when to get rid of the basil, just by looking at it. It will resemble something like the cat had a long play with, then dragged in! Very sick and sorry for itself and at its last gasp.
fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
Thanks and I agree, it is a pleasure to help!

The garden forums here are by far some of the most pleasant on-line discussions that I have taken part of over the years. I suspect it is because gardeners are a different sort of people. You can't be as close to the earth and our green and leafy friends as gardeners are and not be affected in a very positive way. ;)

FataMorgana
lillyvw
16 years ago
Herbs can be frozen by putting a little olive oil in the food chopper when you chop them and they don't get dried out and freezer burn. Everything is better with olive oil on it anyway.
jkc426_hotmail_com
13 years ago
This info was very helpful. Can the leaves of parsley be harvested even if there are flower heads? I am in a climate where there is snow November through March. I brought my parsley inside and it has grown pretty well. I did not know it would get the flower heads! (New to herbs!) Can I use the parsley anyway? Will it be bitter or have a different flavor? Is there any way to prevent the flowers from forming?
fatamorgana2121
13 years ago
The general consensus with annual and biennial herbs is that the quality is best before flowering. But can you still use it, certainly.

Parsley is a biennial. That means it has a 2-growing season life cycle, but given enough stresses it can "bolt" before that. The flowers and subsequent seeds once it bolts complete its life cycle and it will die. Avoiding stresses (like bringing a plant indoors for the winter or transplanting) so it doesn't bolt early is good. Some also suggest clipping flower heads with herbs like angelica (also a biennial) to forestall the completion of its life cycle but I've had less than stellar results with that. Best is to start new parsley plants.

FataMorgana

Basil and Italian Parsley...when to pull?

Comments (8)

fatamorgana2121

Daisyduckworth

Related Discussions

evaperconti
Original Author

Daisyduckworth

fatamorgana2121

lillyvw

jkc426_hotmail_com

fatamorgana2121

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Basil and Italian Parsley...when to pull?

Comments (8)

fatamorgana2121

Daisyduckworth

Related Discussions

evapercontiOriginal Author

Daisyduckworth

fatamorgana2121

lillyvw

jkc426_hotmail_com

fatamorgana2121

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

evaperconti
Original Author