Arat
Petroselinum crispum
Enjoy the flavor of fresh parsley for soups, salads, and stews throughout the winter. Keeps several months when stored in cool conditions. Once roots are established, tops can be used for cooking, with stronger flavor and tougher texture than traditional leaf parsley. Roots are 5-8" long.
Harvest
75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
1–11
USDA hardiness
Height
0-3 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Arat in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 herb →Zone Map
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Arat · Zones 1–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May – June | July – August | — | August – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – August | — | August – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – March | — | March – December |
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – June | — | June – October |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – May | — | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – April | — | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – April | — | April – December |
Succession Planting
Parsley germinates slowly — 14 to 21 days even under good conditions — so plan ahead. In zone 7, start seeds indoors in February or March and transplant out between April and June once soil has warmed. For a continuous harvest through the full June-to-November window, stagger two or three transplant dates about 3-4 weeks apart rather than setting everything out at once. A late-May or early-June succession planting will carry you well into fall.
Parsley handles light frost and will often overwinter in zone 7 with minimal protection, but it bolts and goes bitter in its second year once it throws a flower stalk. Mark your overwintered plants and pull them as soon as that central stalk starts elongating — usually by April — and replace with fresh transplants from your February indoor sow. A bolting plant turns tough and flat-flavored fast; there's no holding it back once it decides to go.
Complete Growing Guide
Enjoy the flavor of fresh parsley for soups, salads, and stews throughout the winter. Keeps several months when stored in cool conditions. Once roots are established, tops can be used for cooking, with stronger flavor and tougher texture than traditional leaf parsley. Roots are 5-8" long. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Arat is 75 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Arat reaches harvest at 75 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 5-8" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
The small, ridged seeds are formed in the second year from July to September. The fruit and seeds are poisonous to birds.
Type: Schizocarp.
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: Leaves as flavoring and garnish
Storage & Preservation
Freshly harvested Arat parsley keeps best in the refrigerator at 32–40°F with 95% humidity; store upright in a jar with a little water, covered loosely with a plastic bag, for up to two weeks. For longer preservation, freezing works exceptionally well—blanch stems briefly, shock in ice water, pat dry, then freeze on a tray before transferring to freezer bags for up to three months. Alternatively, air-dry bundles in a warm, dark space with good airflow; dried Arat retains strong flavor and stores in airtight containers for six months or longer. The tightly crimped foliage of this variety dries particularly quickly and evenly compared to flat-leaf types, making it ideal for bulk drying projects. Avoid canning, as the low acid content poses safety risks.
History & Origin
Arat is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Europe
Advantages
- +Long roots (5-8 inches) provide dual harvest potential for cooking
- +Excellent winter storage capability keeps fresh parsley available for months
- +Easy difficulty level makes it ideal for beginner gardeners
- +Stronger flavor than traditional leaf parsley enhances soups and stews
- +Established plants regrow quickly after harvest for extended productivity
Considerations
- -Tougher texture of tops requires longer cooking or careful preparation
- -Takes 75 days to maturity, longer than some quick-harvest parsley varieties
- -Requires cool storage conditions to maintain quality for months
- -Root harvesting may damage plant structure if not done carefully
Companion Plants
Basil and parsley get planted together constantly, and there's a practical reason: both want full sun and consistent moisture, so they don't undercut each other at the roots. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are worth running along the bed edges — their root secretions deter soil nematodes, and their scent disrupts aphids scouting for a landing spot. Nasturtiums pull double duty as a trap crop, drawing aphids off the parsley and concentrating them in one place where you can hit them with a strong water spray or insecticidal soap. Chives and other alliums add another layer of pest confusion; NC State Extension's vegetable IPM notes that mixing plant families breaks up expanses of preferred host crops and limits how fast a pest population can build across a bed.
Fennel is genuinely allelopathic and will slow or stunt most neighboring herbs, parsley included — give it its own container or a bed at least 3 feet away. Rue has a similar reputation for inhibiting close neighbors, with no real compensating benefit in a parsley planting. Black walnut produces juglone, a soil-soluble compound toxic to a wide range of plants; the inhibition zone runs roughly 50-60 feet from the trunk, so if you have one on your property, site your herb beds well outside that radius. The "parsley near parsley" entry in our database just means a second planting in the same bed doesn't cause problems — which is useful to know if you're staggering transplant dates to stay ahead of parsley worm pressure or a heavy harvest week.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Parsley
Similar growing conditions, attracts beneficial insects
Chives
Natural pest deterrent, repels aphids and other soft-bodied insects
Oregano
Compatible growing requirements, helps deter pests
Thyme
Similar water and sun needs, natural pest repellent properties
Marigolds
Natural pest deterrent, repels nematodes and aphids
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and moisture retention
Keep Apart
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to many herbs and vegetables
Rue
Allelopathic properties can inhibit growth of nearby plants
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #172232)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Parsley worm (swallowtail butterfly larvae), spider mites, aphids
Diseases
Root rot (in waterlogged soil), powdery mildew (in humid conditions), leaf spot fungi
Troubleshooting Arat
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Fat green caterpillars (2-3 inches long, with yellow and black markings) stripping leaves down to bare stems
Likely Causes
- Parsley worm — larva of the black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) — common on all members of the carrot family
What to Do
- 1.Handpick them off and relocate to a wild patch of Queen Anne's lace if you can find one — they turn into a native butterfly and killing them is a shame when you don't have to
- 2.If you have a heavy infestation and can't afford the leaf loss, apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as a targeted spray; it won't harm other insects once it dries
- 3.Plant more parsley than you think you need — a few extra transplants at 6-inch spacing means the worms rarely take down the whole crop
White powdery coating on upper leaf surfaces, usually appearing mid-summer or in early fall when nights cool down
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew — a fungal condition favored by high humidity and poor airflow, especially once August nights drop below 70°F while daytime humidity stays high
- Overcrowded planting at less than 6 inches apart that blocks air movement between plants
What to Do
- 1.Thin or harvest outer stems to open up the canopy — NC State Extension's vegetable IPM notes that reducing humidity around foliage is the first line of defense
- 2.Strip and trash (don't compost) any heavily coated leaves
- 3.A dilute potassium bicarbonate spray can slow spread on remaining foliage; it won't cure infected tissue, only protect clean leaves nearby
Stems collapsing at soil level, roots turning brown and mushy; plant wilts even when soil is wet
Likely Causes
- Root rot — typically Pythium or Fusarium species — triggered by waterlogged soil or containers without adequate drainage holes
- Planting in a low spot that pools water after rain
What to Do
- 1.Pull and discard the affected plant; don't replant parsley in that exact spot this season
- 2.Work 2-3 inches of compost into the bed 8-10 inches deep before the next planting to break up compaction and improve drainage
- 3.Once plants are past the 6-to-8-week establishment window, water deeply but let the top inch of soil dry between waterings — consistent moisture doesn't mean constantly wet
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Arat parsley take to grow?▼
Can you grow Arat parsley in containers?▼
Is Arat parsley good for beginners?▼
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.