Parsley root Osborne [Petroselinum crispum]

The biennial parsley root 'Osborne' is a root vegetable with a 22-25 cm long, creamy white root. Intense, spicy and slightly sweet taste, with a mild parsley aroma. Drought tolerant and storable. Ideal for direct sowing, no pot cultivation, sowing spring-autumn, good for mixed cultivation, harvesting the roots.

 Description 
The parsley root 'Osborne' is an old biennial root vegetable from Germany. The species originally comes from the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. The hardy variety forms 22-25 cm long and conical, cream-white roots with lush green leaves. The taste is intensely spicy and slightly sweet, with a mild parsley aroma. Drought tolerant. Roots buried in sand can be stored for up to 6 months.

 General information 
Plant family: Apiaceae
Life cycle: Biennial
Days to harvest: 190 days
Plant height approx.: 60 cm
Root type: Deep rooter
Nutrient requirements: Medium
Water requirements: Medium
Winter hardiness: Up to -20°C
Location: Sunny until semi shady
Soil: Permeable, stone-free, humus-rich loamy soil

pH value: 6.5 to 7.5

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Dark germinator
Sowing depth: 1-2 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 7-20 °C
Germination time: 7-28 days
Plant and row spacing: 8x30 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 3-4 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: Kale, Bean, Broccoli, Endive, Kohlrabi
Unfavorable mixed culture: Lettuce, Carrot, Celery, Dill, Fennel, Chervil

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Direct sowing is recommended from February to April or in autumn from October to December. The ideal location for the plants is sunny to partially shaded.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Direct sowing from March to May is recommended. The plants should ideally be planted in a sunny location.

 General recommendations 
Due to the simple and uncomplicated germination, direct sowing in rows is recommended. The seeds can be sown more densely, and by separating them later, the small and too densely growing young plants can be harvested early to give others the space they need to grow.
Parsley root 'Osborne' prefers a permeable, nutrient-rich, moist, stone-free and humus-rich loamy soil. Doesn't tolerate waterlogging.

 Additional tips 
Needs at least 7°C to germinate. Sow densely and then thin out and use as baby leaf roots. To maintain the nematode balance in the soil, a cultivation break of 3 years is required. To quickly obtain a fine, crumbly and permeable soil with good nutrient and water retention capacity, additional incorporation of biochar and primary rock flour is recommended.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds.

 Plant care 
It is advisable never to let root parsley dry out completely, even if this variety is drought tolerant, this would be reflected in the root quality. Regular watering results in stable growth. Due to the initially slow growth of the plants, it is advisable to regularly weed surrounding herbs. Fertilization can be done after 8 weeks.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Petroselinum crispum
English names: Parsley root
German names: Petersilienwurzel, Wurzelpetersilie, Knollenpetersilie
Portuguese names: Raiz de salsa
Spanish names: Raiz de perejil
French names: Racine de persil

 Origin 
Country: Portugal