When to Plant Parsnips
Sow parsnips outside from 3 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost.
Parsnips at a glance
- Sow outside
- from 3 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 100 to 130 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 8 weeks
- Spacing
- 9 per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
Growing parsnips
Parsnips need a long season and deep, loose soil for their long roots. Sow fresh seed in spring, keep the row moist until the seedlings appear, and be patient: the roots grow all summer long.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | May 7 – Jun 4 | Aug 31 – Oct 26 |
| Zone 3b | Apr 26 – May 24 | Sep 11 – Nov 6 |
| Zone 4a | Apr 21 – May 19 | Sep 14 – Nov 9 |
| Zone 4b | Apr 17 – May 15 | Sep 17 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 5a | Apr 12 – May 10 | Sep 21 – Nov 16 |
| Zone 5b | Apr 10 – May 8 | Sep 26 – Nov 21 |
| Zone 6a | Apr 8 – May 6 | Oct 2 – Nov 27 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 2–30 | Oct 8 – Dec 3 |
| Zone 7a | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | Oct 11 – Dec 6 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Oct 18 – Dec 13 |
| Zone 8a | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | Oct 24 – Dec 19 |
| Zone 8b | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | Oct 30 – Dec 25 |
| Zone 9a | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | Nov 12 – Jan 7 |
| Zone 9b | Jan 11 – Feb 8 | Dec 1 – Jan 26 |
| Zone 10a | Jan 3–31 | Dec 13 – Feb 7 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so grow parsnips in the cooler months, from fall to early spring. | |
Questions about parsnips
Why are parsnips slow to come up?
Parsnip seed sprouts slowly, often taking weeks, and old seed may not sprout at all. Use fresh seed each year and keep the soil moist until the seedlings show.
What soil do parsnips need?
Deep, loose soil without stones, so the long roots can grow straight down. In heavy soil, loosen a deep strip for the row or choose a shorter variety.
