Parsnip Imperial Crown Vegetable Seeds

Parsnip is one of the lesser known root vegetables, growing very similar to carrot and Hamburg rooted parsley. While looking like a bleached carrot, parsnip also produces rich leafy greens that look, taste, and behave just like a large-leaf parsley. Garden parsnip is an over wintering classic able to be sown in either spring or autumn and, like many root vegetables, is believed to get sweeter after a few light frosts. Grow parsnip to naturally aerate tough soils with its penetrating taproot.
 

This British variety Imperial Crown, chosen for its long smooth roots but with a small crown. Has long, smooth roots with an enviable sweet flavour and excellent crunchy texture. The crown is much smaller than is normal for this type of parsnip and makes the roots easier to wash. Its uniformity makes it an ideal candidate for displaying at exhibitions.

• HARDINESS ZONE: Annual

• DAYS TO MATURITY: 100-120

• DAY TO GERMINATION: 10-28

• SEEDING DEPTH: 12mm (1/2”)

• PLANT SPACING: 15-22cm (6-9”)

• PLANT HEIGHT: 45-60cm (18-24”)

• ROW SPACING: 60cm (24”)

• GROWTH HABIT: Leafy taproot

• SOIL TYPE: Loose, organic, composted, well-drained

• TEMP PREFERENCE: 45-75 °F

• LIGHT PREFERENCE: Full sun - partial sun
  
   

Sowing and growing:

Parsnip is a cool weather crop able to be sown directly 3 weeks before final spring frost or 3-4 weeks before first autumn frost for an early spring harvest. Like many root vegetables, parsnip does not transplant well and should always be sown direct. Plant 2-3 seeds 12mm (1/2”) deep and 25-50mm (1-2”) apart in very loose, well-tilled, and well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Seeds germinate in 10-28 days, thinning out strongest starts to 15-22cm (6-9”) apart in the garden. Parsnips grow best with some drought, becoming wider and longer in search of moisture.

 

Harvesting:
 

Lift as required. Most varieties of parsnip may be harvested about 100 days after sowing but, for sweetest flavour, allow parsnip to experience a frost or two before harvesting. Parsnips are ready to harvest once their foliage has died back, dried, and bowed over. Like carrots, parsnip can be safely removed from the ground with a gardening fork. If sowing in the fall for a spring harvest, cover parsnip seeds with a top layer of mulch and harvest crop once the ground thaws.
 

Handy tip! As parsnips occupy ground for a long time, grow a quick maturing vegetable like lettuce or radish between the rows.

Be prepared to water well and supplement feed with high-potash feed during season. Regular feeding is recommended. Suitable for the vegetable garden, allotments and containers.