Live in Cairns, love parsnips, but none available in supernarkets in Jan. What if I grow them here then put in freezer for a few days after harvest? Will they grow sny time of year in tropics? Thsnks
28 Jan 18 Naomi (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Doug, I'm just up the hill from you and we do get some August frost, some years, so not tropical, but not sub-tropical either, ughh! I've had some luck and many failures with parsnips. Planting in cool weather as recommended has not worked for me because the plants are maturing in the heat before monsoon and going to seed instead of plumping roots. This year I am planting in February to try take advantage of maturing in the cooler months. If you give them a go I'd recommend protecting the plot from the lovely monsoon rains while seeds are germinating to avoid rot.
By this guide it says you won't grow parsnips anytime of the year in the tropics. In sub-tropics June to Sept. Some things just don't grow in the tropics and somethings just don't grow a certain time of the year. In the tropics you would be trying to grow things in the cooler winter months.
Replying to very old post, I know. I'm bordering a tropical, sub-tropical zone so it's really not possible to be guidedby one growing zone or the other. I tried that over and again and it doesn't work. However, this year, I am considering guidelines for both zones and then deciding what to do. I use both zone guidelines and/or neither and all but one plant that was doing well bowled after I over-fertilised using liquid fertiliser.
This is the first year in moons that my vegies are growing well (thus far!). Why? I'm not sure, but I prepared the soil, I mulch, I water regularly and I fertilse. I also take more note of what plants go with or donot go with what plants. I also loosen the soil occasionally. Hope this helps.
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