Do you remember when I pre germinated my Parsnips seeds back in April by placing them in between a damp paper towel and placing them in a plastic Tupperware box and put the lid on? They germinated in less than a week. Normally they take up to 28 days to germinate.
The old gardeners books use to tell you to sow them outside in February. I find the weather is too wet and cold so I waited until April.
Then I sowed them in a small plant pot with a cut off bottom and full full of compost and placed it in a large plant pot filled with compost in the polytunnel.
I left them to grow vegetation for a few weeks then I planted them outside in the veg plot. Today I decided to lift one of them:
Parsnips are from Eurasia and the Romans and Red Indians are said to have grown them.
Anyone else grown Parsnips this year?
I will leave Jack Frost and his wife to paint the rest of the Parsnips and turn the starches into sugars.
I love parsnips. Hope the rest of your crop is as good as that one.
ReplyDeleteYes they are good JayCee. I use to grow beetroots for my mum and parsnips for my dad. We had our leek and potato soup today and it was wonderful. Thanks JayCee.
ReplyDeleteI've not harvest mine yet, the tops were nibbled, i did havest some tiny ones when i thinned the row, hubby loved them, I'm hoping they have grown, I don't eat them, so just for hubby. Marlene, Poppypatchwork
ReplyDeleteIf I was you I would wait until we get an heavy frost Marlene. They will taste far sweeter than now. Some people make Parsnip wine. "Small is beautiful" and very tasty when you pick your homegrown vegetables. Some shop bought big carrots and parsnips can taste like bullets. I much prefer organic home grown vegetables free from pesticides, weedkillers and artificial fertilizers.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a while before we get a frost here.
DeleteThere is supposed to be snow forecast for the UK this month. We woke up to a very heavy dew this morning. All the livestock are in their winter quarters.
DeleteIt's years since I've eaten a parsnip. Glad to hear your efforts were successful. Good eating
ReplyDeleteThey are something to put on next years veg sowing list Linda. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteVery good.they should start getting sweeter now.
ReplyDeleteIf you feel like baking, carrot cake made with parsnips and nutmeg is good.
No parsnips this year, or carrots just red and yellow beetroots
We grew red and yellow beetroots this year GZ. That carrot/parsnip cake recipe sounds delicious.
DeleteI enjoy parsnips, but I find it hard to judge whether one will be woody or good when I buy them from the supermarket. We're in a townhouse, so not enough land to grow more than herbs and lettuces. As a small child my favourite vegetable was "Pink Vegetable" - grated parsnip and grated carrots, cooked with NO water (unless it's obvious they do need a teaspoon or so) and then, towards the end, a nob of butter, and S&P. I still do it regularly, especially in winter.
ReplyDeleteI think the smaller the vegetable the more tender they are Virginia. It is difficult to find fresh vegetables in the supermarkets. It is possible to grow them in laege compst filled plant pots. Your pink vegetables sound great. Vegetables do have an high content of water. We steam a lot.
DeleteYou let your parsnips over winter? Do they take off again in the spring?
ReplyDeleteIf you save your biggest parsnip from being picked and let it go to seed. You can save the seeds for next year Debby. They like a sandy soil compost mix preferably sieved and free from stones. Definitely worth growing in your new raised beds next year me thinks!
ReplyDeleteGZ beat me to it - we made parsnip muffins last week.
ReplyDeleteThey sound wonderful.
ReplyDelete