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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Parsnip Life-Cycle

The white root vegetable parsnip seeds shape are different from other root vegetable such as carrot, radish and turnip. Parsnip seeds looks like a round flat brown disc. I was surprise when I first saw them. Parsnip seeds are much bigger and easier to handle compare to carrot seeds. 

Newly sprouted seeds. From right: a seedling still attached to the seed coat, a seedling free from the seed coat, and seedling with its first true leaves. 

More growth and bigger leaves.

Parsnips growing in rows with carrot and leek as companion.

If parsnips is grown over-winter, it will be better to harvest the root before mid-spring before the root becomes woody and start to flower. It will be good to left a few parsnip to flower as the flower attracts beneficial creatures into your garden. Parsnip roots takes a long time to grow compared with carrot. It will take at least 6 months before it is ready to be harvested depending on the climate.
Parsnip flowering.

Parsnip seeds developing stage.

Parsnip seeds ready to be harvested.

Are you planting any parsnip this year?
How long do you usually wait to harvest your parsnip?

22 comments:

  1. You have such a harvest of parsnip.

    The parsnip flowers are indeed beautiful.

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  2. I always grow Parsnips. They are one of my favourite veg. I sow mine in late March / early April and harvest from October until end of December. I usually harvest just one or two at a time - whatever we need for one meal - leaving the others to grow on.

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  3. My dad grows parsnip but I haven't yet. I always seem to find something else to put in the ground before it. Having said that though i love parsnip soup so perhaps I'll plant a few this year.

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  4. Not planting parsnip anymore due to taste preference, which is carrots...

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  5. Don't grow them. Like the flower heads though.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  6. I've never grown or cooked with parsnips. It is one of those veggies that I'll get around to doing someday.

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  7. WE'll definitely be planting parsnip - we still have some in the ground that we are harvesting.
    The parsnip seeds aren't easy to deal with if you try sowing one a windy day. Also do be careful when clearing your parsnips not to get any sap on your skin as it can give serious burns.

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  8. Wow! lovely photos and you bless with green hand...passing by :)

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  9. i dont grow parsnips..but i've seen parsnips for the first time 2 months back when i was in aust. They really look very much like our lobak putih here. But i dindt get a chance to eat that yet..

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  10. That was a nice overview of parsnips. I almost always grow them as they are a great winter staple. However, I noticed this year our enthusiasm for eating them had lessened some so I am purposefully keeping them off the grow list for 2012. They will definitely come back on in the future, but I think a year break will be good for us to make our hearts grow more fonder for them once again.

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  11. Interesting post. I couldn't view some of your photos for some reason. I'll have to come back and try again.

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  12. Uau, this post was awesome:)!

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  13. Very illustrative and wonderful pics of your plants as always. Cool parsnips and happy cooking them yeah.

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  14. I just had a giveaway of my parsnip seeds - they need a bit of cold weather and we certainly don't have any of that up here!

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  15. The seedlings are cute, with the serrated leaf edges.

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  16. I would love to grow parsnips. It is not a veg. thats readily available here in India. But the problem is also that the seeds or seedlings are also unavailable. I should buy some of these seeds online, I guess.

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  17. hi diana, never tried parsnips before, dont see them in the supermarkets.
    hmmm must be yummy .. have a nice day

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  18. Parsnips really are a wonderful vegetable. We plant ours in May and harvest in early November, in order to have seeds we can either leave some in the ground to over-winter or replant select roots from our cellar in the early spring. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the parsnip.:)

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  19. I planted them for the first time a few weeks ago. Thank you for the seedling photos, now I know several of them are up! I've never tasted a parsnip before. This is one of the new things I'm trying this year.

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  20. Rainfield61~That parsnip harvest photo was from last spring. At the moment we only have very few plants growing as most of them burn to crisp from the extreme heat last summer.

    Mark~We also harvest just a few for a meal and leave the rest to grow. It does take a long time to grow.

    Liz~It might be a nice time now to plant parsnip in your area if you have some space. It does grow in container as well.

    Lrong~Not many like parsnips. I don't enjoy the one selling in market. But home-grown taste allright.

    Cher~The flower heads is cute.

    Daphne~Parsnip is a new veggie to us too. We just first time taste and grow it last year. I like them in korma or curry.

    Sue~Windy days will be very tricky to sow parsnips. I am sure your parsnips must be bigger, longer and sweeter than what we can grow here.

    Cindyrina~ Thank you for dropping by. Anyone can garden;-).

    Lena~Parsnips taste very much different than lobak putih. It has more nutty flavour. A vegetable that either you like it or hate it. Due to taste preference.

    KitsapFG~I think a year break is a good idea too. We also have certain vegetables that sometime we need a break too.

    Kelli~Hope you can view the pictures again.

    J.J.~ I am glad you enjoy this post.

    Stephanie~Its a note for me. Sometime I forgot how the seedlings look like cause my label always been missing with the help of my 2 cheekie monkies.

    Africanaussie~Missed a chance for your give-away. My mom tried planting them before in her tropical garden, she said hers grow well. But when she was away for awhile, her ducks dug and ate the roots.

    Sean L~Baby seedlings are always cute;). It gives hope for future harvest.

    Sri Ranjani~We have seeds easily available here. But I have not seen any seedlings on offer. It does much better with direct-sowing. Hope you find some on-line seeds.

    Wan~Parsnip is only available here when it is on season. We don't get imported ones too. Probably not may farm grows them.

    Mr. H~I am sure you still have plenty of stock enough until the next harvest/ Thanks for the tip for replanting select roots for collecting seeds.

    Kate~Glad that we can help with the identification.Hope you have a nice adventure growing parsnips this year.

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  21. Wow I didnt know that's how a cycle of parsnips look like! Amazing...

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  22. Open Kitchen Concept~This is the first time we had seen the seeds stages of development.

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