Planting Parsnip
Parsnip is a cool season vegetable in the Apiaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
You can sow Parsnip directly into the garden 0–2 weeks before your last frost.
For a fall crop, sow 16–18 weeks before your first fall frost so plants mature as the weather cools.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Parsnip room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 4 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 18 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 2 |
| Planting depth | 0.5 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Days to Maturity
Parsnip reaches maturity in 100–130 days from sowing.
Parsnip is ready to harvest after about 115 days. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season vegetable, Parsnip does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is frost hardy and can shrug off light freezes, so it can stay in the ground later into the season than tender crops.
Parsnip needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0.5 inches deep, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Parsnip belongs to the Apiaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Parsnip is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
Companion Plants
Pairing Parsnip with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Radish, Onion
Keep away from: Carrots
Growing Notes
Flavor sweetens after frost.