How to Grow Parsnips ParsnipsParsnips, Pastinaca sativa, belong to the Apiaceae family of plants, which includes other commonly grown vegetables and herbs such as carrots, celery, anise, coriander, dill, fennel, lovage, parsley, angelica, caraway, cumin, and more. The Pastinaca genus includes 13 other species of plants, but the parsnip is the most well-known. Parsnips resemble white carrots but often grow bigger, although they can get woody if allowed to grow too big. Like carrots, parsnips become sweeter following a few weeks of cold temperatures, and most people prefer them this way. Parsnips are very cold-hardy, and I have harvested parsnips that were overwintered in central Wisconsin, zone 4, that were still delicious. In rare cases, parsnip foliage can cause a rash, sometimes severe, due to its phototoxicity, so it is recommended to wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves, particularly on sunny days, and wash after any contact with the leaves. Parsnips are a biennial so they will set seed in their second year of growth after they have overwintered for a season. Unless you are saving seeds, you would grow them like an annual or harvest them early spring the following year before they go to seed. Parsnips are often roasted or steamed and served with butter. They can also be mashed and served like mashed potatoes or mixed with potatoes. My favorite way to eat parsnips is roasted with other root vegetables and served with balsamic vinegar drizzled over them. Parsnips have a sweet, nutty flavor and are higher in fiber and lower in carbohydrates than potatoes. Parsnip VarietiesI have grown “Hollow Crown” parsnips for years, an open-pollinated, heirloom variety. Except for one year when root rot took over, likely caused by a fungus that causes parsnip canker, I have had great success with this variety. In the summer of 2024, we had record-breaking rains, but since I grew my parsnips in raised beds, the water drained well and I had the biggest parsnips I had ever grown, some reaching 4 inches or more across at the top of their root, which honestly made them a little woody. This year I am trying the “Harris Model” parsnip variety, also open-pollinated, in addition to “Hollow Crown”. “White Spear” and “Andover” are two more open-pollinated varieties that are commonly available. Parsnips have mostly performed well for me in the garden, so I have never felt the need to try hybrid varieties but F1 hybrid options include “Albion”, “Dagger”, “Javelin”, “Panorama”, and “Warrior”. “Warrior” has some resistance to canker and “Javelin” has high resistance, so they are good varieties if you consistently have root rot in your parsnips.  "Hollow Crown" variety of parsnip. How to Grow ParsnipsParsnips require a long growing season; many varieties take up to 120 days. However, they store extremely well either in the ground over winter or in the refrigerator. Parsnip seeds can be difficult to germinate, and it is recommended to soak seeds for 24 hours before sowing. Be sure to keep the soil moist until germination occurs, which can take up to 4 weeks. Parsnip seeds are one of the few types of seeds that do not maintain their germination ability for long so it is recommended that you buy new seeds every year. Once germinated, thinning and weeding are recommended but otherwise, they are very low maintenance. Weeding is also minimal once the foliage grows and shades the area. Like carrots, parsnips require loose soil without rocks or hard clumps of soil as these can cause forking in the roots. They prefer full sun but can tolerate some shade. I prefer to plant my parsnips in a raised bed to provide a deep, loose, fertile soil to grow them. Ideally, you should work the soil to a depth of 2 feet, but I generally do not get any deeper than 12 inches. Although you want fertile soil you do not want too much nitrogen, or the plants will focus on vegetative growth (the tops will grow too much) and not grow very big roots. Although parsnips can tolerate cold weather the seeds will germinate best if the soil is at least 50-60°F. A cheap soil thermometer is very helpful when deciding when to plant spring crops. Plant the seeds about ½ inch deep and keep them moist until germination occurs. The recommendation is to plant parsnips in rows, 18-24 inches apart but in my raised beds I grow plants in blocks. I thin my parsnips to 2-4 inches apart (clipping them with scissors is preferable to pulling), and if the soil is fertile enough, I get very large roots, even with close spacing and no rows. Reduce watering when you get closer to harvest to try to prevent cracking and spitting roots. In the summer of 2024, we had massive amounts of rain and although the roots grew the largest I have ever seen, they also split more than usual. Ideally, harvest after at least a couple of weeks of cold weather for optimal flavor. You can also mulch well to overwinter the roots. If you do overwinter you will want to harvest early before new growth starts and they go to seed, making the roots woody. References and Resources
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 How to Overwinter Fall CropsEven in zone 4B in central Wisconsin, I have managed to get certain vegetables to overwinter. One important point is that there is a difference between overwintering vegetables and actively growing them. Temperature is not the only consideration for plants to grow. The total amount of sunlight is also a big concern. The “Persephone Period” sometimes called “Persephone Days” is the time period when days have 10 or fewer hours of daylight. Most plants need a minimum of 10 hours or more of sunlight for vegetative growth. During the “Persephone Period” plant growth slows or completely stops even if temperatures remain above freezing. For me, November 5th is the first day with less than 10 hours of sunlight and I will not go above 10 hours of daylight until February 5th. Most of this time it is too cold to grow anything anyway, but even if I had a heated greenhouse I could not grow much unless I also gave the plants supplemental light. You can check out this site to find your day lengths. So why bother overwintering vegetables if they are not going to grow much anyway? Basically, overwintering allows you to have fresh vegetables either in the middle of winter or earlier in spring than you otherwise would. Additionally, many root vegetables like parsnips and carrots taste better after a period of cold weather. I have been able to successfully overwinter spinach, kale, leeks, parsnips, and carrots, although the spinach and kale do look a little rough in the spring, but fresh growth usually starts as soon as the daylight increases and temperatures warm. One important point is that you want to harvest your vegetables fairly early in the spring or there is a risk of them going to seed. Once they start going to seed the root vegetables will be woody and the greens can get bitter. The two things I do to overwinter my vegetables are frost covers and mulching. I put layers of mulch, usually leaves, over my vegetables, I try for about a foot thick, but I have read if you go even deeper, 3 to 4 feet thick, you can dig root vegetables all winter long. We usually get too much snow to easily clear away the snow and leaves to dig so I generally just leave them there all winter and uncover in the spring. The second thing I use is frost covers. I started buying higher quality frost covers from A. M. Leonard or Johnny’s Selected Seeds which last longer than cheaper frost covers. Regardless, do plan to replace your frost covers occasionally as they get holes or tear. You can buy frost in various thicknesses which can give you a degree or two of protection up to 5-10 degrees. I also use frost covers in the fall to protect my crops from any early hard frosts. If you are still getting enough sunlight to grow crops you may not want frost covers too thick because these also block sunlight. Each frost cover description should give you the thickness, the degrees of protection and how much sunlight is blocked. So, it is a balance between enough frost protection and enough sunlight. For overwintering, I lay the frost covers over my mulched vegetables and weigh down the sides to keep cold air out and to keep them from blowing away. In the spring, once temperatures have warmed up enough, I pull away all the mulch but leave my frost covers over my vegetables to provide some protection. As soon as the ground thaws you can dig up your root vegetables. Greens and onions can be eaten as soon as they start to perk up, grow a little, and basically look edible. Also, as long as the ground is thawed make sure to water if needed. Vegetables should be well watered before covering them up, but you do not want standing water which could allow them to rot. Many plants die over the winter not from the cold but from drying out in the cold winter air and winds. Frost covers also help keep the cold wind from penetrating into your plants. The last consideration is what varieties of vegetables to choose. I have had good luck with Vates kale but I have had Red Russian kale die at 17°F. Blue Solaise leeks routinely overwinter for me although a few may rot. I have gotten Winter Giant Spinach to overwinter as well as Hollow Crown parsnips and any fall/winter carrot variety such as Oxheart, Kuroda, and Chantenay. Resources and References
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AuthorIn 2016, my family and I moved from the New York City area to small town Wisconsin. Our move, this website and blog (and our previous Etsy store) is the result of our desire over the past several years to simplify our lives, increase our quality of life, reconnect with nature, and enjoy a more self-sufficient life. I grew up as a country kid in central Pennsylvania working on my grandfather's fruit farm and as a corn "de-tassler" at a local seed farm. My background is in biology where my love of nature originated. I am a former research scientist and professor and have now transitioned to a part-time stay-at-home mom, self-employed tutor, and small business owner. Thank you for taking the time to check out my site. Archives
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