Plant Parsnips

Parsnips are a root vegetable closely related to carrots. They thrive in temperate climates with lots of rainfall and are moderately easy to grow. Parsnips are healthy and sweet and you can enjoy them in a variety of recipes. They go especially well in soups and stews! Follow the steps on this list to plant your own parsnips for a tasty addition to your vegetable garden.

Steps

Timing

  1. Plant parsnips in mid-spring. Soil temperatures must be steadily above {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} to grow parsnips. Wait until March, April, or May, or whenever daily temperatures are between {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, to sow parsnip seeds. This is when the seeds germinate best.[1]
    • Parsnip seeds don’t germinate as well if temperatures frequently exceed {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}

Sun

  1. Pick a site that receives 6+ hours of sun daily. Parsnips require full sun to grow and anything more than 6 hours of sun per day is considered full sun. Don’t choose a planting site that gets any less than that or the parsnip seeds won’t germinate.[2]

Soil type

  1. Provide deep, fertile, well-drained, sandy soil. Parsnips need light soil that’s rich in organic materials to flourish. If your garden has heavy soil, dig it up thoroughly to break up chunks of soil and clumps of organic material.[3]
    • Avoid planting parsnips in clay or rocky soils.
    • To test soil drainage, dig a hole {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} deep and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} wide. Fill the hole with water and let it drain completely. Wait 12 hours, then fill it with water again and time how long it takes for the water to drain. If the soil is well-draining, the water should all be gone in 2-3 hours tops.

Nutrients

  1. Add up to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of organic compost to the soil’s surface. Do a Do a Home Soil Test to determine if the soil needs more nutrients. If so, add an even layer of compost no more than {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} thick to the top of the soil. This acts as fertilizer to provide the parsnips with more nutrients.[4]
    • The soil should have good levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
    • Avoid adding clumps of fresh organic matter, such as manure, to the surface. This can cause misshapen roots. Make sure any compost you use is well broken up.

Soil pH

  1. Test the soil’s pH to check for a slightly acidic range of 6-7. Work peat moss into the top {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of soil to decrease the pH if it is not acidic enough. Or, work agricultural lime into the soil to increase the pH if it is too acidic.[5]

Planting depth

  1. Sow seeds {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} deep. This is the ideal depth for germination. Push 2 or 3 seeds into the soil every {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} or so to help ensure enough germination for a good stand of parsnips. Cover each seed hole up lightly with soil or compost.[6]
    • Even the freshest parsnip seeds struggle to germinate, which is why it’s best to sow them somewhat thickly.
    • Parsnip seeds older than 1 year won’t germinate.

Spacing

  1. Space rows {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart. Give rows of parsnips plenty of room for root development. If you’re planting more than 1 row of parsnips, make sure to space them out evenly. Parsnip roots can grow up to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} long![7]
    • You may choose to plant radishes along with parsnips to mark the rows and reduce surface crusting. Just be sure to pull the radishes out once the parsnips start coming up.

Weeding

  1. Pull out any weeds from the soil by hand. Keep the soil weed free while you wait for seedlings to grow. Check on the planting site regularly and gently remove any weeds that you see growing. Avoid hoeing or digging weeds up or you could hurt the parsnips.[8]
    • Parsnips seeds take at least 3 weeks to germinate.
    • Continue to weed once your parsnips come up, being careful not to crush or damage the foliage of the seedlings.

Watering

  1. Keep the soil evenly moist from the time of planting and onwards. Parsnips require consistent moisture from when they are germinating until harvest time. Water your plot of parsnips about once a week if there is no rainfall that week, or whenever the soil starts to dry out. Be careful not to let the soil dry out and crust over. [9]

Thinning

  1. Thin seedlings to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart. When the parsnips start sprouting, reduce crowding. Pull up and discard any seedlings that are within {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of their neighbor. The remaining parsnip will appreciate the extra room to grow![10]
    • You can thin the seedlings by hand or using a hoe.

Mulching

  1. Apply {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of organic mulch to the beds in the summer. A light layer of mulch can help with moisture retention and reduce the number of weeds. Grass clippings, leaves, and straw are all good choices for mulching.[11]

Caterpillars

  1. Manually remove any caterpillars from the seedlings. Watch for swallowtail-butterfly caterpillars that like to feed on parsnips. If you see any caterpillars crawling on the foliage, pick them off by hand and discard them. This is typically all it takes to control them and keep your parsnips safe.[12]
    • Swallowtail-butterfly caterpillars are green with black stripes and yellow spots.

Carrot flies

  1. Protect the plants from carrot flies with horticultural fleece or polythene. Carrot fly larvae cause parsnip roots to rot. To protect your plants from the flies laying their larvae, cover them with horticultural fleece. Or, put {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} high barriers made of clear polythene around the plot to keep out the low-flying female carrot flies.[13]
    • Once carrot fly larvae get into your parsnips and cause them to rot, there’s nothing you can do. Prevention is the only way to deal with this problem.

Harvesting

  1. Harvest the roots when they are {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in diameter. This is usually in late fall, or about 16 weeks after planting. Dig up the roots with a tilling spade, a shovel, or a spading fork. Note that parsnip foliage can cause skin irritation for some people, so wear gardening gloves and a long-sleeved top to be safe.[14]
    • You can expect to harvest about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of parsnips per {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of planting row. Individual parsnip roots can weigh more than {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} each!
    • If you don’t want to harvest all the parsnips in fall, you can cover the soil in mulch and overwinter them in the ground. Harvest them in the spring before the tops start to sprout.

Related Articles

References

  1. ↑ https://research.wsulibs.wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2376/13128/FS314E.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  2. ↑ https://research.wsulibs.wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2376/13128/FS314E.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  3. ↑ https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1288&context=extension_curall
  4. ↑ https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1288&context=extension_curall
  5. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-carrots-and-parsnips-home-gardens#soil-testing-and-fertilizer-190710
  6. ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/veggies/parsnip.cfm
  7. ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/veggies/parsnip.cfm
  8. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/parsnips
  9. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/parsnips
  10. ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/veggies/parsnip.cfm
  11. ↑ https://research.wsulibs.wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2376/13128/FS314E.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  12. ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/veggies/parsnip.cfm
  13. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/parsnips
  14. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/how_to_grow_parsnips

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