The first time I bought parsnip and tasted it, I did not like parsnips. My children are not fond of store-bought parsnip either. I thought that was the first and last time I ever see parsnip in our kitchen. However, the first time I participate in our local Seed-Saver Group meeting, I received some fresh parsnip to try and grow. I sowed those fresh parsnip seeds on end-February and March this year in containers. The germination was really good. Home-grown parsnip tasted so much different from the ones on the store rack. Lucky our attempt to grow our own home-grown parsnip was a very good thing. It changes my whole family feeling of parsnip to a good one. No one in our family dislike parsnip now.
Parsnip seedlings. Germination was good even in partial shade. Although the location of our containers that we sowed parsnip seeds were shaded by pumpkin veins surrounding that location.
To grow parsnip required so much patience. It takes a long time to grow into this stage. Parsnips grow much much much longer than carrots to grow roots. No kidding, to make me not pulling the top out is by purposely forgetting their existence in our garden.
Unlike carrots where you can see a bit of the root on top of the soil, parsnips has a more shy personality as the roots are always totally cover by soil. Makes it difficult to decide whether its has grown into a reasonable size to harvest.
Six month after I sowed parsnip seeds, I harvested them. These are parsnip that has been sowed in autumn and grown over winter. Now I wonder if spring-sowed parsnip in containers will develop much bigger root after 6 months since it will grow in much warmer condition. Will it make a difference? Can't wait to see the result after 6 months.
I was very stress out in September, the main reason for the long silence.
Silent September, Study Stress.
Thank you so much for encouraging comments.
Saved me from losing out to my weakness/depression and reminding me that to look at the garden that I have totally neglected this month is there for me to release all my stress out.
27 comments:
That's interesting that the flavor is so different. Bet it has to do with the brand of seed you used or it's the soil you grow yours in.
Cher Sunray Gardens
I have never tried parsnip before. I find that fresh is much better then store bought as well. Especially tomatoes...
Your parsnips look lovely, I have enjoyed growing them in the past. When you grow them over winter, the cold weather is said to improve their flavor. I think I may have to try again this year and go buy some parsnip seeds for my garden. I love home grown veggies :)
I'm not sure if I have eaten parsnips before or not. I heard they taste like potatoes? They look pretty and thanks for the tips on growing it. I may give it a try this fall-whenever I can get to it which I hope is soon!
I do eat parsnip once in a while and like it roasted with other veggies. It helps to bring out the sugars and make for a sweeter parsnip. Great idea to try growing it in a pot - and quite successfully too.
Maybe we'll try parsnips too. We're growing Salsify right now. Its a root like carrots and white like parsnip, but we have no idea what it tastes like. We'll wait and see! Glad you're feeling better. Gardening has a way of doing that for me too.
We love parsnips too but be careful with the sap from the plant's stems and leaves as it can cause really nasty burns especially if it gets on to your skin in sunny weather.
What you say about Parsnips is so true - but it applies to most veg. The ones you grow yourself are usually so much tastier! I LOVE Parsnips roasted in the oven. If you boil them the can easily go soft and mushy.
My Dad would always grow parsnips. I haven't tried to yet but I think maybe next year I will give it a whirl. Yours look tasty!
I am glad I read that comment about the sap. Good tips from your readers!
we love roasted parsnip its so sweet... i read that parsnip has to have some frost on the to make them sweet,so i guess as long as they are in for some frosts they should grow well.we have some in this year..you really need to be patient to get them to germinate
hi kadazan malay,,wish i know your name, so that i address you properly :) am amazed at your ability to study, whilst being a mom and do gardening as well...anyway your gardening efforts really paid off, looking from your many harvests thus far. i find it very enjoyable. i love to see veggie and flower blooms.
i came earlier and posted but i think it did not go through, if duplicate, please delete. Thanks
Thanks for this post. I just bought some seeds 2 days and have not found a good location to plant. I will do it soon. Can't wait to taste the delicious taste described :-) Glad your September Stress over. I had some bad stress too in the last few months. Gardening is where I escape to... And what solace it gives.
I tend not to grow Parsnip because of space considerations but I hadn't thought about putting them into a fruit box. Hmmm perhaps when my garlic finishes I will sow some seed.
Your parsnip encounter ended well. Thank goodness you didn't just give up ;-)
Hope the studies are going well! I discovered as well that parsnip takes a long time to grow as I pulled a carrot and a parnip sown at same time and a huge difference in growth. This is my first time growing parsnip. I have to say I love the flavour of parsnip, its great roasted. Kelli
Fascinating. I've only tried parsnips once or twice and wasn't impresses. Maybe I should try to grow our own.
I am glad my time on study stress was over since a long long time ago.
But stress continues, in different fields.
Hi Kadazan Girl in Australia!
I saw your profile and it stated that you garden to teach your sons about chemical-free gardening. I garden in containers and I live with a medical condition that requires me to live a life free of chemicals where food is concerned. Do drop by and have a look at my blog when you are free. I wish you all the best in your studies and garden.
http://therighttobealive.blogspot.com/2011/09/container-gardening.html
This remains of the the few vegetables that I have never cooked with before!
Your parsnip are great! My carrots are really slow! I have been neglecting my garden too, things that I planned to do are still not done! My only excuse are laziness and the extremely hot weather! Hope you are doing well in your studies! Wish I could share some of the Belimbing Asam Pedas with you, it would take some of the stress away! :)
That's a lot of parsnips... happy eating...
Cher~ It might be because of several factors. I am not sure which. My first store-bought tastes of parsnip had a really nutty flavour. But the one we grown does not tasted nutty.
Skeeter~Yup nothing beats fresh and home-grown.
April's Homemaking~Since our first home-grown were grown over-winter. I wonder the ones that we are growing now in spring will taste different. Me too, love home-grown veggies very much.
Tina~I am not really sure, it might be that different variety has different taste. Maybe some do taste like potato. I think I did too think parsnip as potato when I cook them in curry and could not differentiate between the too.
Patty~I must try roasted parsnip. Have not eaten them that way. Sounds good.
Jody~Good Luck with the salsify. It is also one of the vegetables I would like to grow.
Sue~Thanks for the advice. I don't use glove when I garden so I must be a bit cautious.
Mark~I was so surprised before that parsnip become much more softer than carrot when cook at the same time.
Rosey~Parsnip can tolerate partial shade much better than carrot.
Joyfulhomemaker~They do take time to germinate. But I found that different month the germination rate speed is different. They germinate really fast in September about 2 weeks.
Cookingvarieties~My name is no secret, is Diana. Thank. I hope you have fun starting your vegetable garden.
The Seasonal One~Hope you have find a good location for it. Parsnip seeds takes some time to germinate. Can be almost a month sometime. Parsnip grow well too in Malaysia. My mama grow some parsnip and she says it grow very fast in her garden.
Liz~Since parsnip occupy space for very long. I think growing them in containers are much better. Furthermore, I don't have missing new seedling parsnip compare the one on the patch that usually get eaten by pest.
Stephanie~Parsnip was a new fun adventure in the garden this year.
Kelli~Me too. I sowed carrot and parsnip at the same time. But parsnip takes twice longer to wait than carrot to harvest.
Piece of Sunshine~Hope you have a go growing parsnip. It tastes so much different.
Rainfield61~Yup stress continue on. We are always student. We can never finish learning anything.
Evelyn Chua~We are what we eat, thats what I think. Thank you for visiting. I will come and visit you soon.
chopinandmysaucepan~I love parsnip cook with chicken kurma/korma mix together with carrot, potato and leek.
Joyce~Drooling imagining your Belimbing Asam Pedas. One of these days, I have to ask you to teach me how to use belimbing buloh in different type of dish. Yup carrot are slow. I usually try to leave them growing at least 4months if I am aiming for bigger roots.
Lrong~一週間の分です。
never tried parsnip, they look like our local white radish..
Thanks for the little tutorial! I just might try to grow some parsnips soon!!! Glad you're feeling better, too! :-)
Thanks for the Parsnip lecture! Hope you are stress free now!
Glad you survived September. I didn't like parsnip the first time I tried it either, until I bought some organic ones from the farmers markets. Then I changed my mind :) You do so well to grow so much in containers.
Lena~Parsnip look much more similar to carrot. Except that it is usually white in colour and has a nutty flavour.
Bee Girl~Thanks. Good Luck with parsnip!
Malar~Are you going to have a go with parsnip? It will me fun. Parsnip not fussy with soil compare to carrot.
Shaz~I feel that my carrot and parsnip seedlings are much safer high above the ground. Someone really like to munch on them. So container is one of the solution.
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