How to grow Parsnip in Australia

Sow seed direct in deep, loose, stone-free soil in full sun, as the long roots fork and split in stony or recently manured ground. Use fresh seed, as it loses viability quickly, and keep the soil moist while it slowly germinates.

At a glance

Difficulty: Intermediate
Sun: Full sun
Water: 5 litres a week, watered every 3 days
Spacing: 10 cm
Time to harvest: 120 days
Time to germinate: 21 days
Soil pH: 6 to 7
Frost tolerance: Frost hardy

When to sow by region

Region	When to sow	Regional note
South East Queensland	April to July
Northern Rivers NSW	April to July
Sydney & Coastal NSW	April to August	Longer cool season than SEQ. Sow fresh seed direct Apr to Aug; an August sowing still matures before summer.
Melbourne & Victoria	April to August	Sow Apr to Aug. Slow germination prefers cool soil. Melbourne's long autumn/winter ideal.
Adelaide & SA	February to April, August and September	Sow Feb to Apr for winter harvest or Aug to Sep for a spring start. Use fresh seed; germination is slow. Frost sweetens the roots.
Perth & WA	April to August	Sow Apr to Aug with fresh seed only; the mild winter keeps germinating it and an August sowing becomes a spring harvest.
Tasmania	September to December	Sow fresh seed Sep to Dec. Dig after winter frost for the sweetest roots. Tasmania is parsnip country.
Canberra & ACT	September to February	Sow Sep to Feb into warm soil; seed fails in cold soil. Frost sweetens roots; dig through winter as needed.
North Queensland	April to July	Dry season Apr to Jul. Parsnip is cool-season crop; marginal in tropics even with cool dry season.
Darwin & Top End	Not suited	Not viable. Needs a long cool season Darwin never gets. NT growing guides leave it out.

Companion planting

Good companions

Avoid planting near

Carrot

Harvest and storage

Harvest tip

Lift once the roots are a good size and the tops die back, with flavour sweetened by cold. Loosen deeply with a fork before pulling to avoid snapping the root.

Storage

Fridge in the crisper, up to 2 weeks.