Repotting guide

When & how to repot Parsnip 'Hollow Crown' (Pastinaca sativa 'Hollow Crown')

Also called Hollow Crown parsnip, heirloom parsnip.

More about parsnip 'hollow crown'

About Parsnip 'Hollow Crown'

Pastinaca sativa 'Hollow Crown' · also called Hollow Crown parsnip, heirloom parsnip · edible

'Hollow Crown' is a classic open-pollinated heirloom parsnip, named for the slight depression at its crown. It produces long, tapering, sweet white roots with excellent flavour and is a reliable home-saved variety, though less canker-resistant than modern F1 hybrids. Direct-sow in spring on deep, stone-free soil and lift from autumn through winter after frost has sweetened the roots.

Mature size: Foliage 30-45 cm tall; roots often 25-35 cm long and 5-8 cm at the shoulder, longer than many hybrids.

Watch for — Parsnip canker: As an older heirloom, 'Hollow Crown' lacks the canker resistance of F1 hybrids. Minimise rot with free-draining soil, wider spacing, earthing up exposed crowns, and avoiding root injury.

How to tell parsnip 'hollow crown' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For parsnip 'hollow crown', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot parsnip 'hollow crown' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot parsnip 'hollow crown'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Parsnip 'Hollow Crown'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Biennial grown as an annual; a rosette of pinnate foliage above a long, slender tapering taproot with a characteristic hollowed crown. Bolts in a second year if overwintered..

What size pot to step parsnip 'hollow crown' up to

Pot parsnip 'hollow crown' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot parsnip 'hollow crown'

Pot parsnip 'hollow crown' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting parsnip 'hollow crown'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check parsnip 'hollow crown' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh deep, light, stone-free loam, ph 6.5-7.0 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water parsnip 'hollow crown' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for parsnip 'hollow crown'

Parsnip 'Hollow Crown' wants deep, light, stone-free loam, ph 6.5-7.0. Because its roots run long, 'Hollow Crown' especially needs deeply worked, stone-free ground free of fresh manure. Stones and compaction cause forking. Lighten heavy soils with compost and grit, or grow in deep raised beds. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting parsnip 'hollow crown' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot parsnip 'hollow crown'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for parsnip 'hollow crown'. Parsnip 'Hollow Crown' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into deep, light, stone-free loam, ph 6.5-7.0 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does parsnip 'hollow crown' need?

When is the best time of year to repot parsnip 'hollow crown'?

Can you put parsnip 'hollow crown' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing parsnip 'hollow crown' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise parsnip 'hollow crown' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting parsnip 'hollow crown'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.