The Italian giant is a popular mid-season variety of foreign-bred smooth-leaved parsley. The main advantages of this species are considered to be high yield, pleasant aroma and rapid growth of green mass.
parsley variety "Italian giant"
parsley seeds "Italian giant"
parsley “Italian giant” has a high yield, increased foliage growth rate after cutting and a pleasant aroma
Description and characteristics of parsley Italian giant
The plant is a fairly large semi-vertical rosette with dark green, triangular-shaped leaves with deep cuts and a dense stem.
The bush can reach a height of 30-60 cm, forming 20-25 leaves on one plant. Parsley has a specific tart smell and high taste.
Value
Many gardeners prefer to grow this variety of parsley due to its size, huge yield and ability to quickly regenerate greens after cutting.
The Italian giant tolerates almost all weather conditions and is able to grow in unlit areas, which is a huge plus for growing. The mass of one parsley bush can reach 75-85 g.
Yield
The fruitfulness of the Italian giant variety is one of its advantages. If you follow all the conditions of growing and care, then during the season you can collect from 2 to 5 kg of greens per square meter. Even if they are not observed and germinated in the shade, it gives a yield superior to other varieties.
Germination dates
Given the peculiarity of parsley seeds, which contain a large percentage of essential oils, they do not germinate quickly. With normal watering, sufficient moisture and warmth, the seeds germinate after 15-20 days. Otherwise, when the soil is dry, their germination can take up to a month.
This process can be accelerated forcibly by doing the following steps in advance:
- Soak the shell of the seed by soaking it in warm water at about 45 ° C for 24 hours.
- A faster option is an alcohol bath. Vodka dissolves essential oils within 15-20 minutes.
- After that, place the seed in a mild solution of manganese, aloe juice, or the stimulant Heteroauxin. They help accelerate growth.
- Then dry the seeds so that when sowing they do not stick together and do not stick to your fingers.
If done correctly, the parsley will begin to sprout in a week. However, this method is used only when planting in spring, and if the plant is planned to be sown in the fall, then these procedures will not be required, since there will be enough time for germination until spring.
Sowing
Sowing parsley is best done in spring, but due to its unpretentiousness, it can be planted in summer or autumn. If you need an early harvest, then sow the parsley before winter. Seeds are best taken within these times:
- in spring, late April or early May;
- in the summer at the end of July;
- October November.
These are generally accepted terms for sowing parsley, but it all depends on the owners, as well as the climate conditions in a particular region.
Frost resistance
Like many varieties of parsley, the Italian giant tolerates frost well and can grow at temperatures down to -10 degrees. This factor makes it possible to harvest, almost all year round.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Parsley The Italian giant has the following benefits:
- excellent frost resistance;
- early maturation;
- year-round harvest;
- unpretentiousness to growth in the shade;
- high productivity;
- quick sprouting of greenery after cutting;
- germination of greens from rhizomes.
The disadvantages of this variety include only slow seed germination.
Growing rules
Parsley is a crop that does not require careful maintenance and special growing conditions. She is able to grow in almost any conditions. Many even argue that germination of this variety in poorly lit areas gives more tender and fragrant shoots.
Preparing for landing
For greater productivity and splendor of parsley, the Italian giant prepares the beds in advance, on light soil rich in humus. If sowing is planned for the spring, then preparation should be started in the fall, fertilizing the soil with organic additives and minerals.
Before planting, the beds are fertilized with urea, nitrate or potassium-phosphorus components. When sowing into the ground, the seeds should deepen by at least 1.5 cm, and be planted at a distance of 20 cm.
Some gardeners use the conveyor method, which consists of regularly adding new seeds to the beds. The procedure is performed every 3 weeks. This method can be used until late autumn, but it is only suitable for leafy parsley species.
Reproduction by roots
Leaf parsley is capable of producing young shoots from roots overwintered in the soil. Such greens do not differ in taste from plants grown from seeds. Therefore, many gardeners take advantage of this, while a new crop emerges, last year's one produces fresh greens.
Root varieties are dug up with the rhizome, but some are specially left in order to get fresh greens after wintering. It is worth noting that this method is not always effective, since several factors can prevent germination:
- excessive soil moisture, which promotes rotting of the root system;
- warm, rainy and damp weather in winter;
- severe frosts and lack of snow cover.
In severe frosts, you can protect the roots from freezing by covering the soil with a layer of hay, straw or sawdust.
Long-term plot
Some consider parsley to be an annual plant, others as a two-year-old, but in fact both options are correct. One year it is sown from seeds, the next year it propagates by the root method, after which it gives seeds from which new shoots appear. Many people use this, and the result is a separate area for permanent use.
This method of growing parsley is the simplest and most common among gardeners, but requires more careful care, since the plants need weeding. Later, the parsley will cover the entire area, forming a solid green cover, thereby inhibiting the growth of weeds.
However, this method of growing the Italian giant is only suitable for domestic purposes. Considering that multi-year greenery grows in the beds, its presentation will not meet commercial requirements.
Care features
Parsley variety The Italian giant needs weeding, loosening, thinning, watering and fertilizing.
Loosening and weeding
Tillage of the soil in the area with parsley is carried out using small tools: hoes, hoes, boots, rakes and flat cutters. It is better to do this in dry weather, as the roots of the weeds dry out faster and disappear.
If necessary, you can remove the grass by hand to avoid touching the parsley roots.
Loosening allows the soil to breathe better and retains moisture in hot weather. The period of the procedures depends on the conditions and soil, therefore loosening should be carried out as needed. In addition, you will need to track root crops - if they are visible, then the tops of the green shoots will begin to darken or turn yellow.
After weeding and loosening the soil, it is recommended to cover its surface with a layer of mulch, up to 3 cm thick. It will promote long-term moisture retention and prevent the appearance of some weeds.
Thinning
Like many garden crops growing in beds, parsley needs to be thinned periodically. When parsley grows, it begins to block access to sunlight for smaller shoots. This also provokes a lack of moisture and minerals, after which its growth slows down, and it takes on an unpresentable appearance.
Watering
Parsley variety The Italian giant does not like abundant and frequent watering, but also do not let the soil dry out. Both factors negatively affect the growth and fruitfulness of culture and the concept of "golden mean" is clearly appropriate here. Waterlogging of the site provokes rotting of root crops and affects the state of the greenery.
Dry soil does not allow the plant to fully develop, therefore, in hot weather, it is necessary to water the parsley once every 3-4 days. In wet, rainy weather, it is best to refrain from watering. Moderate moisture is essential for healthy growth and development, so don't overdo it and the plantation will yield a good harvest.
Top dressing
The Italian giant needs monthly feeding. Usually, parsley is fed with a phosphate solution at a dosage of 5 g of the substance per 1 liter of boiled water. However, if the soil has been pre-fertilized, then feeding is not required, and in some cases it can harm the plant.
An excess of organic matter in the soil can provoke the growth of excess shoots from one root crop, cracks or curvature of the roots may occur. If there is an excessive amount of nitrogen in the soil, the parsley will become plump, but it will lose its flavor and smell.
For cultivation in lean soils, not rich in minerals, you can do top dressing as the crop grows and develops. Given the yield of the soil, it is possible to determine how many approaches need to be done during the fertile period so that the parsley gives the expected yield. Most often, in such cases, it is fed with the following solutions and components:
- fertilizers based on nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus;
- wood ash;
- combined mineral and organic compounds.
Harvesting and storage
Parsley is cut at any time after ripening. Choose greens from young shoots, as they are much tastier and more aromatic. Ripe shoots have three formed leaves.
You need to cut the greens right under the root crop so that the subsequent harvest is denser. Before the onset of winter, it is necessary to fully harvest the crop so that in the spring the roots give a good harvest of delicious greenery.
For long-term storage, parsley is frozen or dried, leaving in a dry place. For everyday use, the harvested crop must be stored at temperatures from 0 to +5 degrees. So it can keep freshness, taste and smell for 12-15 days. If the temperature is higher, then it begins to rot or germinate.
Diseases and pests
In the fight against pests such as cicadas, flies or carrot fleas, Fitoverm or Iskra Bio will help. Phytosporin and substances containing copper compounds, such as oxychloride and vitriol, will protect the culture from the following diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- white spot;
- rust of leaves;
- fungal diseases.
To prevent diseases and attacks of parasites, it is necessary to periodically remove weeds - they are their main distributors.
You can see an overview of the listed and other diseases, as well as parsley pests, in this article.
Reviews
Anna Zakharchuk, 45, amateur gardener, Arkhangelsk.Parsley Italian giant, is the most fertile and unpretentious mid-season variety, which is grown almost independently. I recommend using it for dressing various salads, kebabs and first courses.
Irina Artemieva, 32 years old, summer resident, Moscow.I tried this variety for the first time, on the recommendation of a supermarket saleswoman. After that, I realized what real fragrant greens are, and now I grow them myself.
Sergey Alexandrovich, 60 years old, summer resident, Donetsk.I have been growing this particular variety of parsley for many years. There is nothing complicated in this process, and it has an unsurpassed aroma.
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People who have at least once tried to grow the Italian giant parsley will undoubtedly give preference to this particular variety, since it has many advantages over other species, including leafy ones.