I'd trust your friend. 'Pick it, and pick it, and pick it' is a good maxim for parsley, especially in its first year. I'll bet she took only about one-third of the entire growth, though! That is a good amount to take each time.

If the ciltrano was a purchased plant (i.e. not from seed you sowed yourself), I would expect it to die off shortly after bolting. They don't last real long. No ciltrano lasts long but the stuff purchased as a plant seems to go much quicker. Some of the longest lasting ciltrano I've planted (I direct sow the seed) is the ciltrano I've planted that is supposed to better seed producers. Even the better seed varieties die off after the seed has matured. So don't beat yourself up over the ciltrano dying!

Parsley is a biennial - this means a two-year life cycle. While I have it come up in the spring of the second year, it dies off by summer. I'm not sure how it will behave in a warm place like CA, but don't be upset when the parsley completes its life cycle. These two, along with basil, are rather ephemeral as herbs go. Enjoy them while you have them and be prepared to plant them again.

FataMorgana

Wow - I didn't know parsley was biennial. I plant it every year and then rip it out of the ground in the fall with the basil. No wonder I've never seen it bloom!

I'm in zone 6 - so would I just cut it back after frost and it will come up again in the spring?

While it comes up in the spring for me, it is gone by early summer and it never is as vigorous as the first year plantings. Your experience may vary from mine because of your local conditions so give it a shot and see what happens! :)

FataMorgana

Unless you want the parsley to flower for the wasps (good ones) there isn't much reason to keep it into the second year. I always do because the tiny blossoms attract the tiniest of insects that are all beneficials.... and they're pretty.

I always let my parsley go to seed, and self seed as wildly and widely as it wants to. In my subtropical climate I'm always assured of having plenty of parsley that pops up in some very unexpected places! The flavour of second-year parsley does become coarser - especially once it sends up its flower-stalks. Still, some people like it that way.

I had some parsley in a container for the summer. What do I do with it now that winter is coming. Leave it in the container and continue to water, or put it in the ground or bring it inside?

any help would be appreciated

The answer depends on where you live. If you don't get freezing temps in the winter you can leave it outdoors in a sunny spot; whereas if you live in a colder area then you can either leave it out to survive or not, OR, bring it inside to use until it goes to seed and becomes not so palatable.

I brought my parsley in for the winter and it has either died or gone dorment. Does anyone know for sure. I don't want to throw it away if it jsut went dorment.

I got a 1.99 parsley plant last March, and believe it or not, I got gorgeous parsley all year until now, in San Francisco, in a pot, in a sunny spot. Is it best to rip it out and plant a new plant? (It went to seed.)