FAO: Vegetable Gardeners

How to grow parsnips

Growing parsnips is a fairly straight forward procedure. Begin by selecting an area of the garden which has a soil ph of around 6. The soil should be well drained and deeply dug with as few stones as possible as stones can cause the roots to split.

Manure should not be applied directly before planting. If the soil requires nutrients then prepare the soil in the winter months by digging the soil deeply and applying a layer of manure.

Depending on the variety and your global location, parsnips should be planted between February and March (UK). Begin by digging over the plot, removing as many large stones as possible and remove all weeds.

Seeds should be planted 6 inches apart and approximately an inch deep. If planting in rows then keep the rows 1ft apart.

Keep the soil well watered ensuring the ground does not become dry as lack of moisture can cause the roots to split. Hoe round the plants to clear the patch of any weeds.

The time to harvest the crop is when the leaves die off typically this happens in October depending on the variety you chose to grow and the climate conditions. Be careful when harvesting the roots as they can grow a foot long and have a diameter of 2 inches. Damaged roots will not store well.

This is just an overview of growing parsnips. Each variety has its own likes and dislikes.

Posted By: Tombs on December 4th 2009 at 11:20:00

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