Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the windowsill, or anywhere else, parsnips are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing parsnips.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Parsnips Belong To?
Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) belong to the Apiaceae family, also known as the carrot family.
Some of their relatives include fennel, celery, and chervil.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Parsnips?
The minimum container depth recommended for parsnips is 2 feet.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Parsnips?
Some of parsnips' best companions are as follows:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Leek
- Shallot
- Radish
- Peppers like poblano and bell pepper
- Tomato
- Beans such as green beans
- Peas
- Lettuce
- Rosemary
- Sage
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Parsnips?
Parsnips are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with parsnips are as follows:
You'll notice that many of these are fellow Apiaceae family members. See our Apiaceae family page here for more information about why that is the case.
What Soil Conditions Do Parsnips Need?
Parsnips prefer loose, well-draining, sandy soil. They do not like rocky soil.
How Long Do Parsnips Take to Germinate?
Parsnips take 10-30 days to germinate at a temperature of 50-70°F.
How Much Sun Do Parsnips Need?
Parsnips can grow in full sun to part shade.
In other words, they grow fastest and largest in full sun. They will still grow in dappled shade or part shade, just at a slower rate.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and parsnips grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Do Parsnips Need?
Parsnips need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week in the spring and fall. In the summer, they need 2 inches of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Parsnips?
Parsnips grow fastest in temperatures of 45-70°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some parsnip varieties are bred for later harvests and others for warmer climates.
Although they will not actively grow in freezing temperatures, they tend to survive several frosts unharmed, especially light frosts. In fact, autumn- and winter-grown parsnips tend to taste better and sweeter after at least 1 frost.
How Tall Do Parsnips Get?
The average height of parsnips is 3-5 feet.
Their average underground depth is 6-24 inches.
Are Parsnips Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Parsnips are technically biennial vegetables, meaning that their life cycle spans 2 years, and they flower, produce seed, and die in their second year.
But they are normally grown as annuals, meaning that they start and end their lives in the same year. This is because parsnip roots tend to become bitter in their second year as the plant prepares to flower and seed.
Parsnip leaves and stems retain their flavor until they bolt. So if you mainly grow them for their tops, you might choose to grow them as biennials.
How Do Parsnips Reproduce?
Parsnips reproduce by seed.
How Many Parsnips Are Produced Per Plant?
Parsnips produce 1 large root per plant, along with tops that have several shoots, each with several leaves.
Can Parsnips Be Ingested?
The roots, leaves, young shoots, flowers, and seeds of cultivated parsnip are edible. The above-ground portions have a similar flavor to dill.
Note that we are specifically talking about cultivated parsnip here. Wild parsnip shares the same botanical name but is a different variety. Wild parsnip has edible roots, but its above-ground parts (leaves, shoots, flowers, and seeds) have an irritating sap that should not be eaten or even touched with bare skin.
Parsnip roots have anti-inflammatory and endocrine-supportive properties and can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea (decoction) and broth, but they can also be made into a tincture. A herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:5 at 40% alcohol is suggested for a parsnip root tincture.
Cultivated parsnip leaves and seeds can also be used in herbal preparations such as tea (infusion).
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting parsnip roots or cultivated parsnip tops. Again, please do not attempt to ingest wild parsnip tops.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of parsnips rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for parsnips here!
Parsnips are featured in these Plant to Plate articles: