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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: peanuts on August 05, 2013, 16:40:04

Title: parsnip going to seed
Post by: peanuts on August 05, 2013, 16:40:04
With the extreme hot weather and lack of rain we have been having these last three to four weeks, despite watering regularly, one of my parsnips is going to seed.  Should I cut the seed head off completely, or let if flower and save the seeds? Don't think it is an F1 variety. The rest look fine for now.
Title: Re: parsnip going to seed
Post by: Digeroo on August 05, 2013, 16:52:22
Personally I would not save the seeds. If it has the gene for flowering too early then you might get more of them in future.  I always select the best plants for seed saving.
Title: Re: parsnip going to seed
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on August 05, 2013, 17:57:04
Never save seed from anything that bolts. If you do, you're selecting for a strain that bolts. My parsnip seeds are almost ready for harvesting (as soon as we have a dry day), but they've all flowered the second year, as they ought. I should have a nice bag of them to go in the freezer.
Title: Re: parsnip going to seed
Post by: peanuts on August 05, 2013, 21:03:33
Thanks for useful info! So perhaps Ijust ought to dig this particular one up and eat it.