Parsnips- lift or leave?

[caroline7758]

I still have parsnips in the ground and dug a huge one up today. Do they get more woody as they get older/bigger, and if so, is it better to lift them now and store? I haven't got that many so don't want to lose any!

[caroline7758]

[cornykev]

;D Caroline I also dug some up today but you can leave them in over winter because the frost turns the sugar to starch making them sweeter tasting, they do not turn woody,but e.g.  beetroot turns woody if left in to long but parsnips don't the longer the the better in my opinion.  ;D ;D ;D

[Trixiebelle]

Thanks for the tip Kev! I'm going to dig up all me beetroot tomorrow and give it to my MIL to pickle!

PARSNIPS: Can they stay in the ground when their leaves (above ground) have died?

[Tulipa]

Yes, they are fine to leave in the ground, but it is worth putting a marker in so you can spot them to dig up easily and quickly.  Especially if it is frosty and the ground is hard.

I only have a few odd ones that germinated this year so must do it so I don't end up digging the whole bed in search of them!  Thanks for reminding me... :)

[cleo]

PARSNIPS: Can they stay in the ground when their leaves (above ground) have died?

Yes

[Curryandchips]

I always leave my parsnips in the ground until about end Feb, then I lift any remaining ones and peel and freeze them for use in stews etc. It is worth anticipating any hard frosts, as you may want to lift a few before they get frozen into the ground, you can quite easily break a fork (or even a spade) trying to dig them out of heavily frozen ground.

PS rather than trying to keep old seed, which never germinates well, plant them in any spare patch and use them to make wine ... a small quantity of cane sugar makes a delicious sherry type wine.

[supersprout]

PARSNIPS: Can they stay in the ground when their leaves (above ground) have died?

Yes

If heavy frost is forecast, you can dig up a few roots, lay them in a shallow trench, and cover lightly with soil. They'll stay there happily for a few weeks, and if you get the heavy frost you will still be able to harvest :)

[Mrs Ava]

Just make sure you use them up/dig them up before they start to regrow in the spring or else they will be woody! :)

[kt.]

Reading cornykevs message I best get the rest of my beetroot up next weekend. Thanks for the tips too everyone. I aint grown parsnips yet & next year is gonna be my first ;)

[Mrs Ava]

As an aside.....Old Jack on my site lifts his best beetroots, then digs over a patch of ground so it is 'fluffy', places his beets in, covers them with the soil and then takes them as he wants them over the winter.  They will be there until March.  He gave me a few whoppers last February for my mum on her wedding anniversary (they are her FAVE veggies, hot between buttered bread), and they were amazing - not woody, tender and as sweet as sugar!

[Curryandchips]

Thanks for sharing that Emma, I won't be so anxious to try and get the beets processed an into the freezer in future ... (freezer space has become valuable ! )

[caroline7758]

Thanks everyone, really helpful advice.

[Grant]

I always put some beetroots in a bucket of sand, and keep them in the shed.  A tight lid to stop any nosy mice or bigger cousins.