Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to determine your garden schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

In Gig Harbor you can figure out when it's the best time to plant parsnip by checking out the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Parsnip

Frost tolerance for parsnip:	Tolerant of some frost.
When to plant:	Up to 5 weeks before last frost.

Parsnip do well in moderate cold which means that you can plant them earlier than more sensitive plants.

The earliest that you can plant parsnip in Gig Harbor is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant parsnip and expect a good harvest is probably September. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your parsnip may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your parsnip indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is March 15 in Gig Harbor. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of 15°F.

It's important to remember that USDA zone info for Gig Harbor is just an average and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Gig Harbor there is a last frost after March 15 so be sure to be ready to cover your parsnip in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Gig Harbor

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	15°F
Highest Expected Low	20°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 15°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 20°F.

Plants to Grow in Gig Harbor

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Gig Harbor.