Hamburg parsley

Origin & history

Hamburg parsley is a selection of ordinary parsley, which comes from the eastern Mediterranean; the thick-rooted form was bred in Central and Eastern Europe and has long been a fixture of the soup pot in Germany, Poland and Hungary. The English name recalls that it reached Britain in the 18th century through the Hamburg trade. On a market stall it is regularly mistaken for parsnip — Hamburg parsley is slimmer, tapers to a sharper point and smells distinctly of parsley where the leaves join the root.

Varieties

Make sure the packet says root or turnip-rooted parsley — leaf parsley, flat or curly, will not make a usable root. The choice of varieties is small: “Halblange” and “Berliner Halblang” are the standard and manage on heavier soil too, while longer varieties such as “Arat” or “Oliver” are only worth it in deep, stone-free ground. As with all umbellifers the seed loses viability quickly, so buy small quantities and throw out leftovers after two years.

Care

Thin to 8 cm as soon as you can make out the row reliably and keep it weed-free early on; the seedlings stay tiny for weeks. Go easy when picking the leaves: never take more than a third at a time or the root stays thin. Feed sparingly with nitrogen — lush foliage comes at the expense of the root — and in dry spells water deeply rather than superficially.

What can go wrong

Parsley does not tolerate itself: grown after parsley, carrot, celeriac or parsnip the plants sulk and rot at the root (“parsley sickness”). A four- to five-year break on the same ground is not a precaution here but the actual solution. In wet summers brown leaf spots appear; generous spacing, morning watering at the base rather than over the foliage, and removing badly affected leaves keep it within bounds. Carrot fly goes for this root too — the same netting as for carrots helps.

Harvest, storage & kitchen

Harvest from mid-September, when the root is 3–4 cm across; loosen it carefully with a fork, as it breaks easily. For storage lift it before the ground freezes through and pack it in damp sand in a cool cellar; in mild areas a few can be left standing under a layer of leaves. The flavour is markedly stronger than carrot or parsnip — one root is enough to flavour a large pot of soup. The leaves are coarser and more pungent than leaf parsley and suit cooking in a dish better than scattering over it.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Hamburg parsley take to germinate?

Three to four weeks, and longer in cold soil. Keep the drill evenly moist until it comes up and mark it with small sticks so you do not hoe through it. Fresh seed germinates far more reliably than a leftover packet.

Does Hamburg parsley need light to germinate?

No, it is treated as a dark germinator: sow about 1.5 cm deep and cover it with soil. What matters more than exact depth is that the drill never dries out and that the seed does not go into cold wet ground — the second half of March is early enough.

What position suits Hamburg parsley?

Sun to partial shade, in deep loose soil with as few stones as possible — the root easily reaches 20 cm. It copes with half shade better than carrot does, though in deep shade the root stays thin and the leaves grow lank.

Is Hamburg parsley winter hardy?

Yes, it comes through frost in the bed. For the kitchen you should still lift it by the end of November, because in its second year the plant runs to flower and the root turns woody inside. Leave two or three plants if you want seed, or the flowers for insects.