When to Plant Parsnip in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Parsnip guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Days to harvest
- about 14 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 12 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–6.8
- Shop price
- $12.00/kg at one shop
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.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
Parsnip is not recommended for Tropical.
Parsnips need cool soil to germinate and cool weather to form roots, so they do not suit the tropics. Grow carrots in the dry season instead.
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How to Grow Parsnip in Tropical Australia
- 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.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- 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.
- Good companions
- Radish (as row markers), Dwarf Beans, Onion, Garlic, Peas
- Keep away from
- Burdock, Carrot (shares pests), Celeriac (shares diseases), Celery (Listed under keep apart from celery. No reason is given.), Dill
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Tropical Growing Tips for Parsnip
Recommended Varieties
- Not recommended for tropical zones
Key Challenges
- Heat stress
- Poor germination
- Roots become woody and bitter
- No cold period to sweeten roots
Pro Tips
- Honestly, do not attempt parsnips in the tropics
- Consider alternative root crops: taro, cassava, sweet potato
- If determined to try, grow in the coolest months (June-August) in a shaded position with very heavy mulching
Pests and problems for Parsnip in Tropical
- Powdery Mildew Space plants adequately for airflow. Avoid overhead watering. Grow in full sun. Remove old crop debris. Watch
- Wireworms Watch
- Aphids Watch
- Parsnip Canker Maintain soil pH above 6.0 (lime if necessary). Ensure good drainage. Avoid damaging roots during weeding. Grow canker-resistant varieties... Watch
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.
Storing and preserving parsnip
How to keep it
- Root Cellar / Sand Storage. Harvest undamaged roots. Do not wash. Brush off loose soil. Layer in boxes of damp sand or sawdust. Store in a cool (1-4C), dark location. Check monthly for rot. Keeps: 3-6 months.
- Freezing. Peel and cut into chunks or slices. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Plunge into ice water. Drain and pack into freezer bags, removing air. Alternatively, roast chunks with oil, cool, and freeze on trays before bagging. Keeps: 10-12 months.
- Dehydrating. Peel and slice into 3mm slices or grate. Blanch 3 minutes, pat dry. Dehydrate at 55-60C for 8-12 hours until crisp. Store in airtight jars. Rehydrate in soups and stews. Keeps: 12 months.
- In-Ground Storage. Leave roots in the ground and harvest as needed. Apply 10-15cm mulch to insulate soil. Flavour improves with cold exposure. This is the simplest and best preservation method for parsnips. Keeps: 4-6 months in ground (until spring regrowth begins).
- Parsnip Chips/Crisps. Peel and slice very thinly (mandoline recommended). Toss with olive oil and salt. Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Store in airtight container once completely cool. Keeps: 1-2 weeks in airtight container.
Canning safety. Low-acid vegetables like parsnip must be pressure canned, never water-bath canned.
Grow vs buy
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.
What parsnip costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common 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): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Feb to May, Aug to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May
- Mediterranean (Perth): all year
When should I plant Parsnip in Cairns?
Parsnips need cool soil to germinate and cool weather to form roots, so they do not suit the tropics. Grow carrots in the dry season instead.
What soil temperature do Parsnip need?
Parsnip germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 21°C.
How do I know when Parsnip are ready to harvest?
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.
What are the best Parsnip varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Not recommended for tropical zones.
What grows well with Parsnip?
Good companion plants for Parsnip include: Radish, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Garlic, Peas.
Are parsnip salt tolerant?
No. Parsnip are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.