My parsley does this as well. Is your plant new this year? One that has returned? I think parsley has a 2 year life-span (and it's really best the first year, less flavorful the second.) I have let mine seed itself for years so I almost always have a clump going. This year it mysteriously ALL went to seed at once and I have almost nothing to cut or eat (though I saved a zillion seeds and have been broadcasting them everywhere hoping that in spring I'll have lots of new plants.)

My marjoram is also lagging but it was HOT here in August and I don't think it liked it. (Zone 7a/b).

It's the plants first year. My marjoram didn't like the humid heat either this August. I get a new plant of each herb every year.

Kate, do you know why my parsley is yellowing?

mottogear - there are lots of reasons why a plant might yellow and you probably didn't get responses before because there was insufficient information to say anything useful. And sometimes a few leaves just yellow and itisn't really worth worrying about. We need to know where you are and more about the plant. Can you provide a picture from further back?

Also there is no need to buy new herbs every year for perennial types like mint, oregano and rosemary. (Although the hardiness of rosemary depends on your climate).

Is it indoors? Does that container have drainage holes? Have you fed it?

It's outdoors. There are three drainage holes. When I water it, a stream of water comes out. I've fertilized it.

In which case I'm stumped. Although I have to say if it were mine I would just stop worrying and get on with eating it. We still don't know where you are so can't comment on how much longer it is likely to live for you.

I live in zone 5-6 Ohio.

I don't know WHY it yellows, only that mine (which has been a series of plants that have grown for 1-2 years and re-seeded, etc.) always does this to some degree so I think it's pretty normal.

Thanks everyone. I do get about a foot (at the most) of snow in the winter.

Cannot imagine what's ailing your garlic chives. I also am in OH (north of Columbus) and, despite the horribly hot summer and drought, the clumps of g.c. in all of the beds I tend around town are thriving and now in full bloom. Most of the beds have had very little water, Could it be that you were too diligent in watering yours? Sometimes we must be cruel to be kind. LOL

I water mine once a day. It is in a pot in miracle grow soil. Pot has good drainage, and I stick my finger into the soil to see if it needs to be watered. Most of the time it does.

The plant looks normal to me. Some leaves just stop becoming useful to the plant so it diverts the nutrients to more productive leaves. You did say the yellowing leaves are mostly hidden. I'll bet some of the lower leaves on my parsley plants are yellowed a bit; probably because they're no longer as useful to the plant.

Thanks.