edenhana

Parsnip

A slow-to-germinate root vegetable, seed can take three to four weeks to come up, so mark the row and keep the soil moist rather than assuming it's failed. Like carrot, it needs loose, deep, stone-free soil to grow long and straight rather than forking, and shouldn't be sown into freshly manured ground. Left in the ground over winter, parsnips actually improve in flavour after a good frost, so there's no rush to dig the whole row at once.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
15cm
Harvest
Ready in 120-150 days
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
Roughly 1kg per metre of row
Cost to grow
~$4 NZD
Grocery value
~$15 NZD
Companion plants
Onions, Garlic, Peas
Common diseases
Canker
Common pests
Carrot rust fly

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: August-October. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: September-October. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: October.

Growing stages

  1. SowingDirect sow, spring; germination takes 3-4 weeks

    • Sow direct into loose, deep, stone-free soil, as parsnips don't transplant well and fork in heavy or stony ground
    • Keep the soil consistently moist during the slow 3-4 week germination, it's easy to assume the seed has failed
    • Avoid freshly manured ground, which encourages roots to fork

  2. Establishment

    • Thin seedlings to around 15cm apart once large enough to handle
    • Keep weeds down while the slow-growing seedlings establish
    • Watch for carrot rust fly, which also attacks parsnip roots

  3. Root development

    • Roots take a long season to bulk up, patience is needed as this is a slower crop than most root vegetables
    • Keep watering consistent; irregular watering can cause roots to split
    • Canker can appear as dark patches on the shoulders of roots in wet, poorly drained soil

  4. HarvestAutumn into winter, 120-150 days from sowing

    • Flavour actually improves after the first good frost, so there's no need to rush the harvest
    • Roots can be left in the ground and lifted as needed through winter in most regions
    • Loosen soil with a fork before pulling to avoid snapping the long roots

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