Plant parsnips 2 to 3 weeks before the last expected frost and up to 4 weeks after the last frost date. Plant the seeds just 1/2 inch deep spacing the plants 4 inches apart, or more. They like a loose soil and a slow release plant food like Osmocote worked into the soil at planting time. Harvest after several frosts in the fall for the sweetest flavor. You can also harvest earlier as soon as the tops are about one inch in diameter. Parsnips can be stored in the ground all winter and just dug up when needed. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti