Sweet, nutty root that improves dramatically after frost converts starches to sugar. Requires patience with a long growing season but the flavor is worth the wait.
Planting calendar
Direct sow / transplant
4 weeks before your last spring frost.
Seeds are slow to germinate (2-4 weeks); use fresh seed only; keep soil consistently moist until emergence
Spacing & harvest
Plant spacing: 3-4 inches
Row spacing: 18-24 inches
Days to harvest: 100-130 days
Ready when: Wait until after several hard frosts for sweetest flavor; roots are 8-12 inches long; dig carefully to avoid breaking
Companion planting
Plant near
Radish — Fast radishes mark slow-germinating parsnip rows
Carrot — Same family, attracts same pests and can cross-pollinate
Get parsnip planting dates for your exact zone
Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.