The
Parners is a root vegetable closely related to the carrot and
parsley. It is a biennial plant usually grown as
an annual. Its long, tuberous root has cream-colored skin and flesh;
and left in the ground to mature, it becomes sweeter in flavor after
winter frosts. In its first growing season, the plant has a rosette
of pinnate, mid-green leaves. If unharvested, it produces its
flowering stem, topped by anumbel of small yellow flowers, in its
second growing season. By this time, the stem is woody and the tuber
is inedible. The seeds are pale brown, flat and winged.
Timing
Direct
sow from late March to early July. Optimal soil temperature for
germination: 10-25°C (50-75°F). Seeds take 14-21 days to germinate.
The Parners
Starting
Sow
seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Cover seeds with compost and/or put
row cover over planting area to shade the soil and conserve moisture.
Thin to 7-10 cm (3-4″) apart in rows 45-60cm (18-24″) apart.
Growing
Ideal
pH: 6.0-6.8. Prepare ground as for carrots, digging deeply to loosen
soil prior to planting For even longer parsnips, you can dig or form
holes 60cm (24″) deep. Weed carefully and keep watered.
Harvest
Dig
parsnips from October 1st through the winter as needed. Protect from
freezing in the soil with a thick straw mulch if it is a cold winter.
Parsnips keep better in well-drained soil. The average family will be
well supplied with a 6m (20′) row.
Diseases & Pests
Carrot
rust fly maggots may injure the roots of parsnips. The most reliable
control is floating row cover. Practice crop rotation to prevent
soil-borne disease.
