On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 18:01:08 -0500, "loki"
wrote:

"Frogleg" wrote

Let me be the first among many to say that basil is an annual; parsley
is biennial -- it flowers and goes to seed the 2nd year.

True, but I didn't want to get that into it. I've had parsley that was in
it's
second year, but I dont like it as well so I just grow it as an annual.

For how to pick basil, see the thread on "harvesting basil" that's
been going on here for the past 10 days or more.

For parsley, just as Loki says, pick what you need. Although I've
never heard of "harvesting" the plant in fall. In moderate climates,
it will survive and be a source of fresh green leaves in winter,
although it won't grow much.

Well, that's pretty much what I mean. I just cut the plant back before
it gets seriously nasty in late Nov or early Dec. I call it harvesting
because I don't leave it in the ground for the second year.

"Didn't want to get into"? Well, different strokes...

I agree that 2nd year parsley is of limited utility for culinary
purposes (how did I get to sound like an encyclopaedia?) However,
since it over-winters in many climates, it's at least worth leaving in
the ground 'til springl. I *try* to start new plants each year, and
letting the older ones go to seed makes it a fairly automatic process.

I don't understand "seriously nasty". I have happily brought in
parsley springs from snow-covered plants in January. It's a lot easier
to "preserve" them on the plant than to "cut back" and "harvest" in
the fall. YMMV.