When to plant parsley in McMinnville and Newberg, OR

Plant parsley in the garden in McMinnville and Newberg Mar 18 – May 6, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Jan 21 – Feb 4.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

McMinnville and Newberg's typical last spring frost is April 15. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop can go in about 4 weeks before that.

West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Spacing: 8 inches apart
Planting depth: ¼ inch deep
Frost: Handles light frost
First harvest: About 75 days after planting

Step by step

Start seeds indoors Jan 21 – Feb 4 in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
Plant them in the garden Mar 18 – May 6, 8 inches apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ inch deep.
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
Harvest: Cut outer stems at the base and let the center keep growing.

Varieties that do well here

Italian Flat Leaf
Moss Curled
Giant of Italy

Watch out for

Slow, patchy sprouting. Soak seeds overnight before sowing, or buy young plants.

Slow to sprout (up to three weeks), so many gardeners buy starts. Often keeps going through a mild Northwest winter.

Common questions

When is the last frost in McMinnville and Newberg, OR?

Typically April 15. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 6. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for McMinnville Municipal Airport.

Is it too late to plant parsley in McMinnville and Newberg?

The spring planting window runs through May 6. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When should I start parsley from seed indoors in McMinnville and Newberg?

January 21 to February 4, which is 8 to 6 weeks before the March 18 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Also plant in McMinnville and Newberg around the same time

Planting dates for parsley in nearby areas

Salem, OR Mar 15 – May 3
Eugene, OR Mar 15 – May 3
Corvallis and Albany, OR Mar 15 – May 3
Cottage Grove, OR Mar 27 – May 15
Portland, OR Mar 15 – May 3
Gresham, OR Mar 15 – May 3

Full planting calendar for McMinnville and Newberg · Parsley in every city