DibbleGrowing parsnips: from seed to harvest
Sow fresh seed once the soil is workable and no longer cold; germination is slow, so keep the seedbed moist. A long-season root that turns sweeter after a light frost. Buy new seed each year, since old seed rarely sprouts.
Planting dates for parsnips by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | not needed | April 16 | August 13 |
| Zone 4 | not needed | April 10 | August 6 |
| Zone 5 | not needed | April 12 | August 6 |
| Zone 6 | not needed | April 12 | August 7 |
| Zone 7 | not needed | July 7 | November 5 |
| Zone 8 | not needed | July 29 | November 27 |
| Zone 9 | not needed | August 16 | December 18 |
| Zone 10 | not needed | August 13 | January 15 |
| Zone 11 | not needed | October 23 | February 20 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Parsnip:
Family and rotation
Parsnip is in the umbellifers family. Root and herb family. Rotate to limit carrot rust fly buildup. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Carrot
When to plantCilantro
When to plantParsley
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When to plant
Questions
When should I plant parsnips?
It depends on your zone. Parsnip is a half-hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow parsnips?
About 120 days from sowing to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 45 days after that.
What grows well with parsnips?
Good companions include Onion, Radish.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.