"erikabos" wrote in message

i have no problems with any other herbs but have been unable to get
parsley to grow for several years now. i've tried growing it from seed
and did really well at the beginning but as with bought plants they die
after producing a handful of leaves. i grow them in pots in multipurpose
compost and keep them moist at all times. they are out in the garden in
full sun (when we get some) but we have had a lot of rain so far this
year. Could they be suffering from too much water? Advice would be much
appreciated!

I think you are probably giving them too much care and attention. I grow
all my parsley from seed (never in pots) and the way I grow it is to simply
harvest the seed heads from a patch go that has gone to seed and then drop
the seed heads in various places round the garden. And I do mean 'drop' the
seed heads - no covering with soil or even soil preparation and as I live in
Australia with a very big, untidy, weedy and drought ridden garden, they
have to work to survive. I always have piles of parsley (both curly and
Italian) through all seasons. Do some eperimenting. Try dropping some seed
under dry south facing eaves of your house and see if you do any better.