Growing Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 43°F and 70°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 3 - 4 inches apart
  • Harvest in 17-20 weeks. Best flavour if harvested after a frost..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Swiss Chard (Silverbeet), Capsicum, Peas, Potatoes, Beans, Radishes, Garlic
  • Avoid growing close to: Carrot, Celery, Brassicas

Your comments and tips

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18 Jan 12, Derek (Australia - temperate climate)
Sounds likes excess nitrogen. Carrots and parsnip will split and deform with a lot of nitrogen in soil. Fruit/flowering plants including cauliflowers will produce a lot of foliage with nitrogen. Try to reduce heavy nitrogen based fertiliser for fruiting, flowering and root veg.
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12 Jul 14, Yuri (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Too much nitrogen
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28 Apr 11, (Australia - tropical climate)
I wish to grow parsnips on a larger scale like market gardenening... any suggestions?
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09 Jun 11, Meg (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I would like to grow parsnips on a large scale any suggestions?
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12 Aug 11, (Australia - tropical climate)
someone suggested to twist off the tops from parsnips so the leaves do not draw moisture from the roots. is this correct? if so at what stage of growth.
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10 Aug 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You twist the leaves off when you dig them up to eat. It stops them going rubbery. Not while they're still growing.
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10 Sep 11, 11 september (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Parrnip seeds have to be fresh, old seeds dont germinate. Just check that the seed is not out of date. When buying seed make sure they r as fresh as you can get.
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12 Sep 11, Kate (Australia - temperate climate)
This is so true - and buying packets within the use by date isn't always the answer either. Parsnip seed is only viable for about six months but the commercial seed companies place a use by date at least a year into the future on their packets. I finally started a successful crop by sourcing the seed through growers on eBay who could tell me exactly what date the seed was harvested, and have used fresh seed from parsnip in my own garden ever since.
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09 Jul 12, melody demeyer (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Please can you tell me where I can buy local parsnip seeds,I live in vereeniging,south africa?
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06 Aug 12, Emily (Australia - temperate climate)
Probably shouldn't grow radish around brassicas (cauliflower)
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Showing 21 - 30 of 102 comments
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Hey Bianca, Yeah unfortunately parsnips need a long cool season to grow at their best, and your question makes sense. I'm in far north nsw and we just make sure to plant them as soon as night temps get consistently below 14C (usually around end April/beginning May) and harvest them before night temps are consistently above 14C (usually late September). They also start to flower around this time so we get them out before that happens too. Saving seeds of the last plants to flower is a good idea so that you can eventually have more heat-tolerant parsnips in future. So basically the earlier you can get them in the better, but not too early! haha. I think the planting times are set as they are because it's when the weather is safely cool enough in ALL subtropical regions but yeah I reckon just go with the conditions of your micro-climate. Hope that helps. Ben

- Ben

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