Garden & Plants
How long does parsley take to germinate?
Estimated wait
~21 days
Based on published sources
By case
- Faster cases~18 days
- Average cases~21 days
- Slower casesUp to 28 days
Compare this with basil, which is up in about 5 to 7 days: if you sow both at once and only the basil appears, that is completely normal. Most parsley "failures" are people resowing at two weeks. Keep the surface moist and wait it out.
Parsley is famously slow: expect 2 to 4 weeks, and without any pre-treatment it can sit in warm, moist compost for up to five weeks before the first seedlings show. Soaking the seed in room-temperature water for 24 hours before sowing shortens this to roughly 14 to 21 days.
More details
The delay is built into the seed. Parsley's seed coat carries germination-inhibiting compounds that have to be washed out or broken down before anything happens — it is not a sign that the seed is dead or that you have done something wrong.
Last updated: 20 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.