Two white carrots on a textured brown background

Pastinaca sativa

Parsnip

This hearty, sweet vegetable is often overlooked by gardeners, yet it deserves a place in both spring and fall plantings. A rich source of copper, this trace element is said to support hemoglobin formation for healthy bones, blood vessels, and nerves.

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The Growing Guide

Soil Temp for Germ 55–75°F
Seed Depth ½"
Seed Spacing ½"
Days to Emergence 15–28
Thin Plants to 3–4"
Row Spacing 12–18"
Fertilizer Needs Low
Minimum Germination 65%
Seeds per Gram ≈ 175
Seed Life 1 year

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More About The Seeds & Plants

Parsnip Disease Resistance Key

Black Canker Fungal disease causing black lesions

* Numbers indicate specific disease race.

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Pastinaca sativa

Days to maturity are calculated from date of direct seeding.

Culture
• Parsnips perform best in deeply worked, well-composted, loose soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0
• High nitrogen fertilizer or manure can cause roots to fork and become hairy
• Avoid compacting the soil as parsnips are deeply rooted
• Keep well watered through the growing season

Direct Sowing
• Dig a shallow furrow and lightly cover seed with soil, vermiculite or sifted compost
• Water evenly and regularly to prevent soil crusting
• Row cover beds when soil temperatures are cool and to help prevent soil crusting
• Thin when plants are 4 inches tall
• Savvy gardeners plant radish seed in the furrow with parsnips to help break the soil surface for slower-growing parsnips
• Sow mid-June—July for a fall/winter crop

Insects & Diseases
• Common insects: Carrot rust fly maggots
• Insect control: Reemay or Summer Insect Barrier, until tops are 3-4 inches tall
• Common diseases: Celery blight
• Disease prevention: Keep well watered and a 3-4 year crop rotation

Harvest & Storage
• Flavor is enhanced after a couple of frosts
• Roots can be dug any time at maturity through winter as needed, but should be harvested once the ground thaws in the spring to prevent flower stalks from developing. If flower stalks develop, the roots may become woody
• Protect from freezing with a weed-free straw mulch
• Wear gloves while harvesting and handling parsnip greens
• Trim the tops to 2-3 inches then store at 36°F and 95% humidity; a root cellar is best for fall-dug roots

KEY TO PARSNIP DISEASE RESISTANCE AND TOLERANCE
HR indicates high resistance.
IR indicates intermediate resistance.
BC | Black Canker

Our Team's Trusted Picks

Parsnips That Shine in Every Garden

Come out and playyyyyy! Warrior stands out as our employee favorite parsnip due to its vigorous growth and rapid sizing, yielding large, uniform, white roots with excellent flavor and canker resistance. This British-bred hybrid excels in trials, offering high yields, chunky tapering shapes, and suitability for fall harvests with long storage potential.

Warrior Parsnip

Vegetable | parsnip

From $4.85

120 days. Creamy, sweet parsnips are among the best gifts of the cool-weather garden, and Warrior has won a place on our table. These shapely roots reach 11 inches long with smooth, fine, white skin and a shallow, clean crown. Robust foliage helps fill out the roots evenly with little to no thin tail. HR: BC.