Your comments and tips

24 Jan 18, Doug (Australia - tropical climate)

Live in Cairns, love parsnips, but none available in supernarkets in Jan. What if I grow them here then put in freezer for a few days after harvest? Will they grow sny time of year in tropics? Thsnks

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28 Jan 18, Naomi (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Doug, I'm just up the hill from you and we do get some August frost, some years, so not tropical, but not sub-tropical either, ughh! I've had some luck and many failures with parsnips. Planting in cool weather as recommended has not worked for me because the plants are maturing in the heat before monsoon and going to seed instead of plumping roots. This year I am planting in February to try take advantage of maturing in the cooler months. If you give them a go I'd recommend protecting the plot from the lovely monsoon rains while seeds are germinating to avoid rot.

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30 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

As you say try planting late summer for them to mature in the cooler winter months. Any cool weather plant needs to be grown like this..

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26 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

By this guide it says you won't grow parsnips anytime of the year in the tropics. In sub-tropics June to Sept. Some things just don't grow in the tropics and somethings just don't grow a certain time of the year. In the tropics you would be trying to grow things in the cooler winter months.

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11 Jul 21, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Replying to very old post, I know. I'm bordering a tropical, sub-tropical zone so it's really not possible to be guidedby one growing zone or the other. I tried that over and again and it doesn't work. However, this year, I am considering guidelines for both zones and then deciding what to do. I use both zone guidelines and/or neither and all but one plant that was doing well bowled after I over-fertilised using liquid fertiliser. This is the first year in moons that my vegies are growing well (thus far!). Why? I'm not sure, but I prepared the soil, I mulch, I water regularly and I fertilse. I also take more note of what plants go with or donot go with what plants. I also loosen the soil occasionally. Hope this helps.

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14 Dec 17, Darryl (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

What is best time to sow parsnip seed in Canberra / ACT. We would expect some frosts in May / June. I currently have some from last year left to run to seed, but the seed is not ready yet. I was wondering whether I should sow some commercial seed about now (December) as I am concerned the parsnips currently seeding may be a bit late. Is the time of self-seeding a good guide of when to sow? Any tips on collecting parsnip seed and knowing when the seeds are ready??

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20 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

On the first page here select your climate zone then your vegetable and it will give a time to plant. Sept to Nov for cool/mountain areas. Seeds are cheap to buy from internet seed selling companies.

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07 Dec 17, Gary Hughes (Australia - temperate climate)

Is it possible to grow parsnips in the north of Thailand

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08 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Try and grow it in the cooler time of the year. Google growing parsnips in Thailand.

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01 Dec 17, Jos Dekker (New Zealand - temperate climate)

(i) When you purchase your seed, make sure it is within the stipulated "use by date" (ii) Prepare bed or row by loosening the soil to a minimum depth of 20 c.m. (iii) Soak seed in lukewarm water overnight. (iv) I do not sow seeds in singles but use a "scatter" method and thin out plants later (v) Mix seeds with a small quantity of very friable earth and scatter in your row or bed. (vi) I don't particularly like the covering with a plank method to stop drying out but prefer putting a shade to keep the sun off whilst seeds are germinating. Ensure to keep soil wet during germination. Depending on temperatures, if cold, I water with luke warm water. (vii) I think that transplanting tends to produce malformation in the parsnip root. Let them grow in the spot where they first saw the daylight! Good luck!

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