Parsley

Parsley garden vegetable( Petroselinum sativum Hoffm) - a biennial, photophilic, cold-resistant plant. Family - umbrella. A plant with a stem 50-100 cm high, twice cut three times with leaves and small white flowers collected in umbrellas. The root is yellowish white or pale brown on the outside and white on the cut. The plant has a pleasant aroma.

Its homeland is the eastern regions of the Mediterranean. For the first time the ancient Greeks discovered parsley in southern Greece, on stony soils of the ancient Peloponnese. Hence the name of parsley "petroselinum" - growing on a stone. From the Latin name, the Germans retained the Latin root and called it "peterzil".The greens of this plant really liked the Poles, and they began to affectionately call it "parsley."The Polish word "parsley" was transferred to Russia, entered the Russian language and immediately took root.

Parsley has long been grown as an ornamental and medicinal plant. The ancient Greeks and Romans wove wreaths of parsley and decorated their heads with them, and among the inhabitants of Hellas parsley was a symbol of grief and sorrow and wore wreaths of parsley of the Hellenes as a sign of mourning. Currently, two varieties of parsley are planted in the vegetable gardens: leaf and root.

Specific smell of the plant is due to aromatic oil, which includes apiol, meristicin. In parsley, up to 300 mg% of vitamin C and up to 11 mg% of vitamin A( carotene), B vitamins, high levels of potassium, calcium, iron and phosphorus.

In production, two varieties are cultivated: parsley root and parsley leaf. According to the shape of the leaves, parsley is divided into plain and curly. In the first year the plant forms a rosette of leaves and root varieties in root varieties. In the second year of life parsley shoots with peduncles are formed, in the room conditions up to 50 - 70 cm. Inflorescence is a complex umbrella. Flowers are small, yellow. Parsley is considered the most valuable spicy vegetable culture.

The plant also refers to umbrella( celery) crops. Leaf parsley can be grown through seedlings( sowing at the end of March).

There is a kind of leaf parsley - curly. She is of no interest because her green is beautiful, but very rude. Usually it is used to decorate the dishes served on the table. Because of the beautiful greenery, it is used on flowerbeds.

Varieties of interest are Petra and Titan, as well as the well-known varieties Sorceress.

In Denmark, there is an interesting way to preserve flowers, ornamental foliage, in particular, the very popular green of parsley and celery, with the help of a galvanic process, in which a thin layer of copper, bronze, silver or gold is applied to fresh plants. In Copenhagen, there is the firm Flora Danica, which sells jewelry made from silver-plated and gilded living plants. These decorations have been preserved for many years.

In its leaves and roots is a large number of vitamins( C, B1, B2, A), minerals and essential oils.

When grown on greens, for the most part, varieties of root parsley( Harvest, Sugar, Bordovinskaya) are used. To obtain a large amount of greenery, we recommend growing flat leaf varieties( curly, plain leaf) in the apartments.

♦ Location of .Parsley - light-loving plant, so pots and boxes with plants put on the windows of any exposure, closer to the light. When the outside temperature rises to 10 - 15 ° C, it is desirable to expose it to open balconies, terraces or loggias.

♦ Landing and maintenance .To grow parsley in room conditions, it must be sown in late autumn or early spring( February - March), using early maturing leaf varieties. Sow it, like other green cultures, in small boxes or flower pots. One box( size 50x25 cm) needs slightly less than 0.7 g of seeds. Parsley and other green crops require high-nutrient soil. Therefore, we recommend using "Biogrunt", sold in stores, or a good garden land.

After emergence of sprouting, it is necessary to perform thinning, leaving a distance of 3-5 cm between plants. Watering - frequent, it is necessary to keep the soil moist at all times( but not in wet!).

Twice a month we recommend to carry out top dressing with universal granular fertilizers "Flower" or liquid concentrated fertilizer "Rainbow".

The first cut of greenery is carried out 50 - 70 days after the emergence of shoots, when cutting it is necessary not less than V3 leaves to leave on the plant. In the second year, parsley blooms and after harvesting the seeds the plants should be discarded.

♦ Pests and diseases .The content in parsley of a significant amount of essential oils protects the plant from damage by pests.

♦ Reproduction - by seeds.

How to use

Apiol and meristycin are effective disinfectants, diuretics and expectorants. In folk medicine, parsley is recommended for inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, bladder and rheumatism.

Traditional healers offer a simple remedy for the deposition of salts. Roots of parsley wash and cut into small pieces directly with the skin. Densely packed pieces of a liter jar. Then take a liter of vodka, all combine and insist for a week. Drink a dessert spoon before eating 3 times a day.

Parsley preserves vision, applies it for wound healing, gum strengthening. Doctors say that a gram of parsley is more useful than a kilogram of pills. Green parsley contains folic acid - absolutely necessary for our body as a means regulating the process of hematopoiesis.

Fresh parsley juice is used to treat acne and acne.

For this 2-3 times a day for a month to wipe the parsley juice with acritical places. A mixture of dandelion or cucumber juice with parsley juice, taken in equal amounts-an effective lotion for whitening freckles and pigment spots. Wipe them lotion 2-3 times a day until they turn pale.

Parsley is prepared and a gruel to whiten the skin of the face: a small bunch of parsley, pour water and bring to a boil, and then strain. Kashitsu put on gauze and attach to the face. Leave to act for 30 minutes. Then the face wipe, not mine. The procedure should be repeated three times a week, and the parsley broth should be wiped daily. Wilted skin refreshes and toned, and fatty - degreased.

If fresh parsley leaves are rubbed and applied to the eyelids for 10-15 minutes, the skin will become more elastic. This is good to do more often. At this time it is good to impose on the face of a nourishing mask.

Parsley contains vitamins, mineral salts. It stimulates the appetite, improves digestion. Parsley season the first dishes, make "green" sandwiches, add it to omelets, cottage cheese, salads.