When to Plant Parsley
herb · hardy · ~75 days to harvest
Planting time for parsley is set by your frost dates, not by the calendar month. Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last spring frost, then transplant once the soil has warmed. From there it takes roughly 75 days to the first harvest. Parsley is a hardy crop, and it keeps going about 21 days past a light frost, which is what makes a fall crop worth planting. Pick your zone below for exact dates, or find your zone by ZIP if you are not sure which one you are in.
When to plant parsley by zone
| Zone | Last frost | Start indoors | In the ground | Spring harvest | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | May 15 | Mar 20 | May 1 | Jul 15 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Zone 3b | May 13 | Mar 18 | Apr 29 | Jul 13 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Zone 4a | May 10 | Mar 15 | Apr 26 | Jul 10 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Zone 4b | May 5 | Mar 10 | Apr 21 | Jul 5 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Zone 5a | Apr 30 | Mar 5 | Apr 16 | Jun 30 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Zone 5b | Apr 25 | Feb 28 | Apr 11 | Jun 25 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Zone 6a | Apr 20 | Feb 23 | Apr 6 | Jun 20 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 15 | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | Jun 15 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 10 | Feb 13 | Mar 27 | Jun 10 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Zone 7b | Apr 3 | Feb 6 | Mar 20 | Jun 3 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Zone 8a | Mar 25 | Jan 28 | Mar 11 | May 25 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 15 | Jan 18 | Mar 1 | May 15 | Oct 4 – Oct 18 |
| Zone 9a | Mar 1 | Jan 4 | Feb 15 | May 1 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Zone 9b | Feb 15 | Dec 21 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct 29 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 10a | Jan 31 | Dec 6 | Jan 17 | Apr 2 | Nov 8 – Nov 22 |
| Zone 10b | Jan 15 | Nov 20 | Jan 1 | Mar 17 | Nov 19 – Dec 3 |
| Zone 11a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
| Zone 11b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
| Zone 12a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
| Zone 12b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
| Zone 13a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
| Zone 13b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | Apr 17 | Oct onward |
Dates use the representative frost window for each zone. Your own ZIP will differ by a week or two: look it up here.
Planting parsley in fall
Parsley planted in late summer survives most winters with light cover and gives you leaves months before a spring sowing does.
The timing rule is roughly 6 to 4 weeks before the average first frost. Planting earlier pushes soft growth that winter kills; planting later leaves the roots too shallow to hold through a freeze. The coldest zone where this still works on the averages is Zone 3a.
For the whole-garden version of this arithmetic, see the fall planting calendar by zone, and how to read and stretch your first frost date.
When to plant parsley in 12 US cities
These use each city's own NOAA frost dates rather than its zone average, which is why two cities in the same zone can differ by a week or more. Texas alone spans a wide range: in Houston (Zone 9a) parsley goes in around Jan 30 in spring and Oct 28 to Nov 11 to overwinter; in Dallas (Zone 8a) parsley goes in around Feb 22 in spring and Oct 13 to Oct 27 to overwinter.
| City | Zone | Last frost | In the ground (spring) | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 7b | Mar 30 | Mar 16 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 10b | none | Oct to Feb (cool season) | Oct onward |
| Chicago, IL | 6a | Apr 16 | Apr 2 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Houston, TX | 9a | Feb 13 | Jan 30 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 9b | none | Oct to Feb (cool season) | Oct onward |
| Philadelphia, PA | 7b | Apr 2 | Mar 19 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Atlanta, GA | 8a | Mar 15 | Mar 1 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Dallas, TX | 8a | Mar 8 | Feb 22 | Oct 13 – Oct 27 |
| Denver, CO | 6a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Seattle, WA | 8b | Mar 2 | Feb 16 | Oct 12 – Oct 26 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 4b | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Miami, FL | 11a | none | Oct to Feb (cool season) | Oct onward |
What to plant with parsley
Parsley grows well next to tomatoes and carrots. Flowering parsley draws the same predatory insects as cilantro. The full grid for all 24 crops is in the companion planting chart.
Parsley zone pages
More on growing parsley
- Cold frame gardening by zone
How a cold frame keeps parsley producing into winter, and when to sow it.
- When to start seeds indoors by zone
Indoor start dates for parsley, counted back from your last frost.
- Hardening off seedlings: a schedule
A day by day plan for moving parsley seedlings outdoors.
- Best grow lights for seed starting
What light seedlings actually need, and which fixtures deliver it.
- Seed-starting setup: what you actually need
Trays, mix, heat and light for starting parsley indoors.
- Growing herbs indoors over winter
Keeping parsley going on a windowsill or under lights once frost ends it outside.
Frequently asked questions
When can I plant parsley?
In fall, around your first frost. Parsley planted in late summer survives most winters with light cover and gives you leaves months before a spring sowing does.
How long does parsley take to grow?
About 75 days from transplant or sowing to harvest.
Is parsley frost-hardy?
Parsley is a hardy crop. It tolerates light frost and can go out early. In fall it keeps going about 21 days past the first light frost.
Can you plant parsley in the fall?
Yes, and fall is the main planting season for it. Plant roughly 6 to 4 weeks before the average first frost for your zone. Parsley planted in late summer survives most winters with light cover and gives you leaves months before a spring sowing does.
What is the latest I can plant parsley?
It depends on your first frost date. In Zone 6a, sow by Sep 15; In Zone 7a, sow by Sep 27; In Zone 8a, sow by Oct 11. Colder zones are earlier, warmer zones later.