There's lots to think about when growing parsnips, luckily Charles Dowding is happy to share this season's findings and expert tips for harvesting.
If you sowed seeds in March, you'll be harvesting as early as September, but really Parsnips are a brilliant Winter crop, so bring that timeline a little later into the colder weather. Not only are Parsnips frosthardy, they actually taste better and sweeter the frostier they get!
Just like all root veg, you never really know what kind of parsnip you'll be pulling up...Small, large, forked? Only one way to find out!
During the cropping season, pull the larger ones to make room for the smaller ones to grow to their potential. This is called thinning out, as it is with carrots.
Some crops need a little extra help lifting from the soil, but we can still do this with minimal disturbance and continue to respect the soil. If your parsnip is well rooted, you can slide a fork or spade down the side & gently wiggle and leverage it out of the ground.
A really long parsnip might even reach so far down that your harvest shows you the layers of earth, a soil profile!
Watch out for this common parsnip problem, Canker. It's a bacterial infection that causes the tops to swell and rot. Don't worry it just needs more trimming/peeling than usual. However, it might be worthwhile to harvest when you spot it, to stop the canker spreading to the rest.
Store your parsnips in a cool dark place to enjoy all the way into Spring!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The tops will die away in the cold weather, this is normal and you'll still be able to harvest, it just might be a bit tricky without green stems & leaves to hold onto!