Growing parsnips is mostly a waiting game. Parsnips need little maintenance, and sowing in spring gives you sweet, tasty roots by autumn.2 From sowing to harvesting, it can take anywhere between 160 and 200 days.6
A parsnip is a pale root vegetable (Pastinaca sativa) that thrives in cool weather.1
Why Grow Them
Parsnips taste nutty and sweet, and they actually improve in flavour after a good frost.1 Roast them, or add them to hearty winter stews.2 Better still, they are a winter hardy vegetable.5
Growing parsnips through the cool season enables you to have consistent vegetables year-round.3 This often overlooked vegetable is worth a spot in your garden.3
Choosing Varieties
Varieties differ mainly in size and shape.2 Most form long, tapering roots, but a few are shorter and more bulbous, which is preferable if you have heavy, shallow or stony soil.2
Site and Timing
Choose a spot in full sun or partial sun.1 Parsnips have moderate water needs and prefer neutral soil.1
Sow early enough, because parsnips planted too late in the season grow small roots.1 Spring sowing in light, free-draining soil is ideal.2
The seeds are notoriously slow to sprout, and the plants grow slowly too.6 Write your sowing date on a label so you can count the days.
Growing Parsnips Step by Step
- Pick a sunny or partly sunny spot, then clear stones and loosen the soil.
- Sow outdoors in spring.2 Check the seed packet for depth and spacing.
- Label the row with the sowing date, then be patient while the seeds sprout.
- Weed while the plants are young, and water during any long dry spells.2
- Wait for a few autumn frosts before you start lifting.1
Harvesting Parsnips
Harvesting parsnips is best after a few autumn frosts.1 There is no rush, because roots can stay in the ground until you are ready to eat them.2
Parsnips are cold hardy, and a good frost improves their flavour.1 A spring sowing can even reach your Christmas dinner.2 If you sowed in spring, autumn is the season to start checking your rows.
Dig with care. Put forks and spades away afterwards so children and pets stay safe.
Budget-Friendly Options
- Start from seed. If you've never grown parsnips from seed before, you're in for a treat.7
- Skip storage space. Roots can stay in the ground until you are ready to eat them.2
- Think twice before buying deer protection, because parsnips are deer-resistant.1
- Make row labels from clean offcuts or old wooden craft sticks.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Sowing late. Roots end up small.1
- Expecting a quick crop. Allow 160 to 200 days from sowing to harvest.6
- Skipping care. Young plants need weeding, and long dry spells call for watering.2
- Choosing long roots for tough ground. Shorter types are preferable for heavy, shallow or stony soil.2
- Lifting too soon. Wait for a few autumn frosts.1
Safety Notes
Check that your seed packet names Pastinaca sativa, the botanical name for parsnip.1
Quick Reference Checklist
- Choose shorter, bulbous roots if your soil is heavy, shallow or stony.2
- Pick full sun or partial sun.1
- Sow outdoors in spring in light, free-draining soil.2
- Label the row and allow 160 to 200 days.6
- Weed young plants and water in long dry spells.2
- Harvest after a few autumn frosts.1
- Store tools safely and keep products away from children and pets.