Plant Cow Parsley in Place in Fall or Spring

Plant Cow Parsley in Place in Fall or Spring guide illustration

Plant cow parsley in fall or spring where it will stay. The taproot does not like to be moved.

Planting Cow Parsley care summary diagram

Sow in fall or spring where the plant will stay

FactorRecommendedAvoid
WhenFall or early spring, in workable soilDo not wait until peak summer heat
PlaceSow where the plant will liveDo not raise a bareroot taproot and then move it
DepthBarely cover the seedDo not bury the seed an inch deep
SpacingAbout 2 feet between plantsDo not pack them like a parsley row

Direct sowing is the usual path, because cow parsley makes a long taproot that tears if you transplant it. [1] A cold frame in autumn or spring is a second path if you keep the seedling in a deep pot until it goes out. [2] Check your state's list before you sow. Wild chervil is a watch-list or regulated plant in parts of New England and the Northwest, and some U.S. seed sellers will not ship it into those states. [3]

When should I sow cow parsley?

Fall or early spring, where the plant will stay. Do not sow into peak summer heat.

How to plant cow parsley

  1. Rake a weed-free patch of moist, well-drained soil where the plant will stay.
  2. Sow the seed on the surface and barely cover it. Water so the soil stays evenly moist until seedlings show.
  3. Thin so each plant has about 2 feet of room when it matures.
  4. If you started a seedling in a deep pot, slide it out and set it at the same depth, without tearing the taproot.
  5. For Ravenswing, keep the darkest seedlings if you sowed seed, because many come up green.

How far apart should I plant cow parsley?

Give each plant about 2 feet. A mature clump is a tall umbel, not a parsley row.

How deep do I sow the seed?

Barely cover it. Do not bury the seed an inch deep.

What fails at planting

A taproot yanked from a seed tray and stuffed into a shallow hole often sulks or dies. Hoeing around the crown chops the root into pieces that sprout again. [4] Sowing a packet into a county that lists wild chervil as a regulated weed starts a stand you then have to fight. After the plant is in, watering and deadheading live on How to Grow Cow Parsley.

If a seedling sulks after a move, sow the next batch where it will stay, and barely cover the seed.

FAQ

Can I transplant a bareroot plant?

Avoid it. Sow where the plant will stay, or move a young plant from a deep pot with the root ball intact.

Does Ravenswing come true from seed?

Often not. Many seedlings come up green. Keep the darkest plants, or buy a named plant.

Recommended plants

References

  1. [1] BBC Gardeners' World - https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/cow-parsley-grow-guide/
  2. [2] Royal Horticultural Society - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/1346/anthriscus-sylvestris/details
  3. [3] Hayefield - https://hayefield.com/product/anthriscus-sylvestris-ravenswing-cow-parsley/
  4. [4] Royal Horticultural Society - https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/cow-parsley

This note is part of Anthriscus Guides.

More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.

Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors

This guide is written for real gardens, not perfect climates. Results vary with site, season, and plant choice. We draw on multiple sources and practical experience; treat the steps here as honest guidance, not a promise that every bed will behave the same.