So, I accidentally let my parsley go to seed...

[Rikki Jean]

I guess I wasn't using my parsley enough, because it went to seed, and now it's full of flowers. Is there any hope of it still producing the herb, or is my only option at this point to harvest and plant the seeds?

If the latter is my only option, do I have to do much of anything special? Can I just pull the flowers off and bury some in the ground? I feel like that might be silly, but hey, it works for weeds, right?

[Owen'nZoe]

If it's flowering, I'd say consider it done, and leave it flower. I don't know your climate, but if you still want fresh parsley, you could consider putting in a new plant.

As for harvesting the seeds, I just leave mine go once it flowers. The flowers will eventually turn into seeds, and if you let the seeds drop where they will, you'll have parsley coming up everywhere. I replant the volunteers I want (or just let them grow where they sprout) and pull the ones I don't. Easy-peasy!

[Greenmama2AJ]

I agree, you can just let it go to seed.

I know parsley is meant to be short lived but I have a plant that has been there for years, gone to seed, died off and grown new parsley leaves again and again. It has a thick tubourous stem now about 2 inches wide and 8 inches long.
Are there perrenial versions of parsley? Maybe I have that?

If not, you could just pick of the flowers and see if it keeps going

[Quate]

We had Italian parsley that basically tried to take over the world. It definitely reseeded itself and also, as I recall, kept growing until we would pull it out. I believe I still used it as an herb after it started flowering, though possibly I didn't use it fresh after that. We don't live in that house any more

[MidnightCommando]

I think parsley is technically classified asa biennial but can act as an annual in colder climates. I'm in zone 4b/5a and I too have a parsley plant outside that has been around for 4 years and getting stalkier every year. In fact, it is my first plant to poke through the snow. I also get volunteers from seeds.

OP - I might try planting the seeds or letting them drop and cutting the plant down. You're in a warm climate and parsely is a pretty vigorous grower so I wouldn't be surprised if your parent plant came back for summer/fall cuttings. In our house, you can never have too much parsley around

[canadiyank]

I'd just let it go and see what happens, but then, I've never grown it, just the Italian parsley kind. Sometimes my Italian comes back and sometimes now. It did spread vigorously throughout my butterfly garden.