When to Plant Parsnip in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Sow August to November. Right now in September you can sow.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Parsnip guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Parsnips are a cool-season root vegetable prized for their sweet, nutty flavour which intensifies after frost exposure. They are slow-growing and demand patience, but reward with excellent yields. A staple of temperate Australian gardens, they struggle in tropical and subtropical climates.
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | D | D | D | D | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 13.1°C (optimal range: 10–21°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
How to Grow Parsnip in Cool Temperate Australia
When to Plant
Sow August-December for spring/summer harvest, or March-May for autumn sowing with winter harvest. Best from September-October sowings.
- Soil
- Deep, loose, stone-free loam. Dig to at least 30-40cm depth. Avoid heavy clay or stony soil which causes forked, stunted roots. Do not use fresh manure. This also causes forking.
- pH Range
- 6.0-6.8
- Sunlight
- Full sun to light afternoon shade
- Spacing
- 12cm apart, 40cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent deep watering throughout the growing season. Inconsistent watering causes cracking and woody cores. Water deeply once or twice per week. Reduce watering slightly as roots approach maturity.
Companion plants: Radish (as row markers), Onion, Garlic, Pea
Avoid planting near: Carrot (shares pests), Celery, Dill
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Parsnip
Recommended Varieties
- Hollow Crown
- Melbourne Whiteskin
- Guernsey
- Cobham Improved Marrow
- Javelin
Key Challenges
- Carrot rust fly is the primary pest
- Canker in wet conditions
- Very slow germination in cold soil (up to 4 weeks)
Pro Tips
- This is parsnip's ideal climate. Melbourne conditions produce outstanding roots
- Leave roots in the ground through frost for maximum sweetness
- Use insect mesh from sowing to exclude carrot rust fly
Harvesting Parsnip
When ready: Foliage begins to yellow and die back. Roots should be at least 5cm diameter at the crown. Flavour improves significantly after first frost. Can be left in the ground and harvested as needed.
How to harvest: Loosen soil deeply alongside the root with a fork before lifting. Never pull directly. Parsnip roots snap easily. Trim foliage to 2cm. Use immediately or store.
Worth growing?
A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 46 plants, about $110 worth at today’s Coles prices, checked today.
That is roughly 9 kg at $12.00 a kilo.
Draw your parsnip bed → No account needed.
Common Parsnip Pests in Cool Temperate Zones
Organic prevention: Do not leave thinnings on the ground. The scent attracts flies. Thin seedlings in the evening when flies are less active. Rotate carrot family crops on a 3-4 year cycle. Grow in windy, open positions
Where to next
Supermarket Price
Current average retail: $12.00/kg (12-month range: $12.00–$14.30)
Grow your own and save on grocery bills.
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Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon Questions About Parsnip
When do you plant parsnip in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Parsnips are fundamentally unsuited to tropical climates. Temperatures are too high for germination and root development. The optimum growing range (16-20C) is rarely achieved.
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Apr to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Aug to Nov
Does parsnip grow all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Aug to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.