HOLLOW CROWN PARSNIP (Pastinaca sativa) is an American heirloom dating to the 1820s, The thick, tapering white roots are a more manageable size than the Student Parsnip we previously offered. They grow 12" long x 2"-3" thick. Parsnips are one of those home garden treasures - you almost never see them at the green grocers. They are hollow-crowned, so one interesting use of them is to carve into root-flutes, which will delight any children in your sphere! The flavor is mild and sweet (the seeds even smell sweet), more so if gathered after first frost. 110 days. 25 seeds.

ABOUT PARSNIPS: Long-ignored in modern home vegetable gardens, parsnips are one of the most valuable food crops you can grow. Cultivated since antiquity (Roman Emperor Tiberius was so fond of them he imported them from the Rhineland), butwith little attention paid to selection until the 19th Century. Parsnips can be used in soups (Holland), to make beer (Ireland), wine (France) marmalade (Spain) or just enjoyed as a you would any sweet and delicious root vegetable, boiling and eaten with butter; mashed, formed into cakes, dipped in flour and sauteed; thinly sliced in salads. They are also favored by livestock - pigs and horses in particular love them.

MEDICINAL: Historically, parsnips have been recommended since Pliny's day for a variety of ailments. Culpepper said they were good as a diuretic and for flatulence.

GROWING TIPS: Easy to grow provided you prepare the soil well, digging deeply and removing any debris or rocks that will interfere with growth. Strong soil is preferred to sandy as the enormous roots do need that support. Seed sown in February will be ready by September, or adjust for your calendar. They can be dug through the winter, and then not completely harvested until you are ready to sow again the following February. Sow 1" deep, droping 3 seeds together every 8" with rows 15" apart. Once seedlings emerge and get two sets of leaves, thin to the strongest of the three and keep hoed until harvest.

CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM GARDEN SEEDS & PLANTS is a small family supplier of heirloom seeds. Our vegetables, herbs, flowers & other garden ornamentals are offered in small, inexpensive packets with only identifying information on them (no growing information). We do, however, offer as much growing information as we have available within this listing for each variety, so if you need it please print now because when a variety sells out the listing will disappear from our site.

All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are heirlooms (dating at least 100 years) or vintage (mid-20th Century or older) varieties, with an occasional modern variety included which I believe merits special attention. All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are OPEN-POLLINATED. This means saved seed will be true to the parent. Don't be dazzled by the never-ending array of hybrid seeds promoted by gardening suppliers. First, such seeds will not produce seeds that grow true to the parent -- you have to keep buying the hybrid seed (get the picture?). Second, most hybrids are developed for market – not home -- growers with an emphasis on extended shelf life, storage and shipping qualities -- NOT flavor, texture, fragrance and all those other elements that home growers seek. So if you are tired of flavorless tomatoes or crunchy strawberries, give heirlooms a try.

All CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS come from reputable growers (with a preference given to small independent farms) and wherever possible ORGANIC suppliers (so noted). We do not knowingly offer any genetically modified seeds, and customers should understand that in order to be designated “certified organic” a seed is by law not genetically modified. By buying CHERRYGAL SEEDS you are supporting the growing worldwide movement of SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and with a little practice you will be able to save even more money in the future by growing these open-pollinated varieties and saving seed for next year. All our seeds are fresh to the season date and germination tested by the growers and here at CherryGal to ensure your success.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ: CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are guaranteed to be fresh to the year indicated on the listing and packet but are NOT guaranteed as to results. Sorry, but there are too many variables in gardening that can impact germination so please do not ask for a refund, replacement or to return unused seed. I always recommend that if you are new to gardening, or to a particular type of plant or variety, that you grow just a few at first to test your germination method. Email with any questions - I always respond promptly. Having said all that, we think you will be pleased and would like to hear about your gardening success!

SPECIAL NOTE TO MARKET GROWERS: We market to the home gardener, but we are happy to fill your order for multiples of any variety available. We do not offer bulk discounts – our seeds are already heavily discounted. Also, we will not accept responsibility for crop failures, so please keep that in mind as purchase constitutes acceptance of 100% of the risk involved in growing any seed offered at CherryGal.com.

SHIPPING: This is important! Practiced gardeners know that the best time to order seeds is as early as possible in the season. I do not list varieties for sale that are not in hand, unless it is noted as "coming." I also add/subtract varieties all season long as inventory fluctuates, so check back often. We are constantly improving our fulfillment procedures to decrease the amount of time from order to shipping. We have added a SHIPPING BANNER to the front of the site and on every listing page which will give you the current time frame for shipping seeds. In off-season, seeds ship very quickly - usually the same or next business day. But as the prime season comes on, shipping can slow. Please consult this shipping banner before you purchase, so there will be no disappointments! We fulfill orders in the order received. Choosing priority or express shipping does not influence the speed with which your order is processed, only the speed with which it moves through the postal system. I package my seeds for shipping in a manner appropriate to the amount and type of seed - larger orders and larger seeds require more packaging. Whether you choose first class mail or priority shipping, your seeds will ship using a delivery confirmation number which will be supplied to you. Our checkout system is keyed to the US Postal System. For small seed orders, I recommend choosing FIRST CLASS mail at checkout. Larger orders (over 13 ounces) can ship either parcel post, or you may find PRIORITY MAIL to be less expensive, depending on your zipcode. (I gave up trying to figure out the US Postal System rates a long time ago). Please enter your shipping address correctly and if you can add the Plus Four Zip Code extension, that is extremely helpful.

I appreciate all my CherryGal.com customers, but have a special affinity for my seed customers. If you have a problem, please email me, using the contact links that are all over the website. Calling is likely to be a frustrating experience, as I do not have the staff to answer the phone, and depending on the time of year, I often don't even have the time to listen to messages. But your email will be promptly responded to.

Lastly, keep an eye out for my end of season sale which starts in June until all inventory is sold. It is always a bargain and helps us clear the shelves each season so that I am offering you only the freshest seeds year to year. Happy Gardening and don't forget to share your garden surplus with your local food bank. (There are just so many bags of zucchini you can leave on your neighbors' porches in the dark of night before they they catch on LOL.)