Root parsley can be harvested before reaching full technological maturity (when the diameter of the thickened root at the top is around 1 cm). It is harvested at this stage when intended for use in fresh form and is sold with the root and leaves.
Harvesting Parsley
For smaller areas, parsley intended for consumption and storage is harvested using diggers for root or tuber crops. These machines loosen the soil beneath the thickened root, which is then collected manually. On larger areas, parsley is harvested using combines: there are single-phase combines that pull the parsley by the leaves and dual-phase combines that, in one pass, loosen the parsley while a belt system grabs the leaves, pulls the root, and elevates it to a device that separates the leaves from the root. When sold with the leaves, the leaves are not separated from the root.
The yield of root parsley at full technological maturity can be up to 30 t/ha.
Storing Parsley
Parsley leaves can be stored in cold storage for up to 8 weeks at a temperature of -1 to 0°C with a relative humidity of 95%.
Root parsley is stored in:
- Pits – Above-ground pits are about 1.5 m wide and 1 m high, with horizontal and vertical ventilation. A thin layer of soil is placed on top of the parsley, covered with an insulator, and then covered with soil. The storage time in the pit is 6 months.
- Cellars – At a temperature of 2 – 5°C and a relative humidity of 90%, parsley can be stored for 2 – 3 months. Parsley with leaves can also be stored in sand in cellars.
- Cold Storage – At a temperature of 0°C, with a relative humidity of 97% and a controlled atmosphere, the roots can be stored for 6 – 8 months
