Is it too late to plant parsnips?

Parsnips need warm soil to germinate, and putting them in too early will result in poor germination. They may come up later when the soil warms up - and then again they may not. Funny things, parsnips.

You are surer of germination if you wait util the soil temperature has reached 5degC - Wilkinsons do a very cheap soil thermometer, a wise investment - and this has been a late spring with soil slow to warm up. Planting parsnip at any time to the end of April usually gives good results - even sowing them in early May isn't a disaster. Leave it too late and the soil may become too dry, and the parsnips not have time develop long roots before the summer sets in. However, if we get a wet cool spring, and you haven't had any success yet, it's worth a try.

Parsnip seed should be used fresh, so there isn't much to be gained by saving it for another season. Despite this, we've seen good results from one-year-old seed, so if you've had a failure, and have some of last year's seed left, pop it in.

Parsnips, like sprouts, only develop their full flavour after a frost, so don't try them as a summer vegetable, leave them in the ground to sweeten up.