Cool-season produce

Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa

Also known as Parsnips

Germination is slow, especially in cool soil; maintain surface moisture. Allow deep, loose soil for straight roots.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyApiaceae (carrot)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSeptember–November for roots maturing in winter.

How to plantDirect sow fresh seed; do not transplant.

Plant spacing3–4 in

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 100–120 days

SuccessionA couple of fall sowings; very late crops may meet spring heat.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestWinter and early spring roots.

Right plant, right place

Will Parsnip grow at your Arizona property?

Germination is slow, especially in cool soil; maintain surface moisture. Allow deep, loose soil for straight roots.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.