Your comments and tips

07 Feb 22, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)

fennel is in the Apiacea family. parsnip is from the Pastinaca family. There isn't any evidence that they can cross pollinate even though they are Umbelliferous plants. (flowers in umbels, like an umbrella). Trust this helps.

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23 Feb 22, Carolyn Dixen (Australia - temperate climate)

Thankyou, I will try my seed and hope the parsnips don't taste like fennel.

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24 Oct 21, Edwin S Bedford (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

It is Spring in South West Victoria , my daughter has planted Parsnip and growing well. Suddenly they have all bolted, can you help please. regards Edwin.

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26 Oct 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My thoughts would be- your soil is not very rich and they went to seed or you planted too late in the season. I'm sub tropical and Gardenate suggests I can plant as late as Sept. They take approx 5 months to grow. So I would be picking mid to late Feb. Probably too wet and way too hot in my book to grow in summer. We are having 30 degree temps now. To me they are a winter crop. I have been eating mine for the last 4-5 weeks, so I must have planted in May. You say you are cool/mountain climate, are you having high temperatures.

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26 Aug 23, Veronica (Australia - temperate climate)

I’m in WA temperate climate so your comment speaks volumes to me. I always thought Parsnips was a winter crop so sowing in spring didn’t seem correct to me.

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02 Mar 21, John Drake (USA - Zone 7b climate)

I have found that germinating the seeds first in a plastic tray with a lid works best for me, I place a paper towel on the bottom of the tray and dampen it with water and then sprinkle the parsnip seeds onto the paper towel. I then snap the lid on and leave the tray on top of the refrigerator where it will stay warm. I'll check on the moisture level every so often and before too long the root will appear. At that point is when I carefully lift the seed out with a spoon and plant in the prepared bed.

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04 Mar 21, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Great idea - I will give it a try when it cools down next month.

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01 May 20, Murdock Halliday (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I am trying to germinate and plant parsnips now in Christchurch. The weather is amazingly warm for this time of the year. Am I wasting my time? Should I have tried earlier in the year? Thanks and take care.

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05 May 20, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

It says from March onwards - subject to local conditions. When the weather turns cooler go for it. We just had a drop from 17-18 at night to 6.4 and 7.9. 10 days ago max was 32 yesterday 24. For most plants it is about soil temperature required to germinate. A cheap thermometer from Bunnings or gardening centre.

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16 Sep 19, Lois Wattis (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I'm interested in giving parsnips a try. I've read the seed planting guides and also the idea of planting seeds paper towel rolls to encourage a straight root crop. I've also got a parsnip top growing in water and cotton wool and google tells me it won't become a parsnip if I plant it, but it might grow and flower, and I can collect seeds - is this right? Also, do the seeds grow well in a deep pot of good loose compost rich soil or do they HAVE to be planted in a garden bed? I've got some garlic planted in a tall pot (just shooting now) and wondering if I can put some parsnips in with it. Thanks for guidance, Lois

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