parsnip question

JillyG · #1 04/02/14, 10:56 AM

I was lucky enough to have a row of parsnips that I left in the ground over winter. I am not able to dig them up. They are beautiful.
my question is should I dig them all , let them dry, brush off the dirt and store them?
or leave them in the ground?
I know my weather tends to go from winter to summer in a heart beat.

K.B. · #2 04/02/14, 11:53 AM

I would use most of them up by mid-May at the latest for your area. They will start to produce seed stalks as soon as air/soil temps are sufficient for active growth.

If you leave a few to go to seed, you can get volunteers for next spring

semimoonman · #3 04/02/14, 12:21 PM

Harvest all that you want to harvest by the time they start trying to send up stalks. A little bit of green at the top is okay, but they quickly start converting all their sweetness into greens and seeds.

SkagitBrooms · #4 04/02/14, 12:30 PM

Yup, they won't stay sweet long in the spring. I'd be inclined to dig them all and store them in the refrigerator until you can use them. Wish we had some left in our garden!

JillyG · #5 04/02/14, 01:58 PM

Thanks

fishhead · #6 04/02/14, 06:24 PM

I have a friend that has a self sustaining parsnip patch. She just digs what she needs and lets the rest mature and produce seed.

beegrowing · #7 10/29/14, 02:33 PM

Thanks for this thread since I wanted to ask about parsnips today! I have my first year of Big ones and was trying to figure if I should wait until frost to use them? or start now....does "sweet" matter a lot? Seems like they are good in soup and stew already but I haven't had any before to save all winter. Am I in for a real treat after frost?

light rain · #8 10/29/14, 02:53 PM

beegrowing, what variety did you plant? They are so good roasted with pork and other vegetables!

beegrowing · #9 10/29/14, 03:12 PM

Thanks light rain! Cobham Improved Marrow is the variety.
Roasting sounds good! Hadn't thought about cooking much yet since the soup and stew was what I did with the few little 'uns I had a couple of years ago.Since I never ate them before I grew them myself, the "sweet" thing is what has me curious though!

light rain · #10 10/29/14, 09:00 PM

They do sweeten up with cold weather. Delicious and unappreciated vegetable..

JillyG · #11 11/01/14, 05:56 AM

And glazed with butter in a cast iron fry pan!Yum

trulytricia · #12 11/01/14, 08:35 AM

I started digging parsnips after it got cold and had some hard frost. Unbelivable!

This recipe is delicious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...h-Herbs-107422
I just rubbed the parsnips and carrots clean, snipped off the funny looking bits of roots. But did no peeling, Cut them into french frie size for roasting.

Parsnips done this way retain all their sweetness. Definately my favorite vegetible for this year.