Parsnip

Growing Parsnips.

Rarely eaten raw, parsnips are a sweet, starchy, carrot shaped root vegetable with a full range of vitamins and minerals. Popular with Greeks and Romans, this vegetable is popular in Europe. “Neeps and tatties”, parsnips and potatoes is one of Scotland’s most famous dish. Tasty in soups and stews, baked carrots and parsnips accompany a roast dinner nicely. Parsnips also make a tasty French fry.

Growing parsnip seeds requires patience as they are slow germinators. Mix in a few radish seeds to mark the row for weeding. They are a cool, long season crop that acquires a better flavor after a frost. Loosen soil to a depth of 12″ to 15″. Plant seeds 1/2″ deep, 1″ to 2″ apart, in rows 1′ to 18″ apart. Thin to 3″ apart while seedlings are small. Keep evenly moist, especially during hot, dry periods. Harvest after the first fall frost.

Good companion crops are peas, potatoes, beans, radish and garlic.