[sianb]

Hello ive just roasted one of our parsnips from the allotment and it was not nice. very tough skin and soft in the middle but it smelt lovely any ideas please.

sianb

[RichardA]

personal opinion -- it is very early to be taking parsnips -- better after some frost on them when they will have sweetened up. Always use very fresh and never let dry out. I take ours from about Nov to Jan/feb only We did pull one by mistake last week when weeding so wife used it even though small and it was fine she said.
Incidentally I hate parsnips anyway so only grow them for others to enjoy.
R

[jimbeekeeper]

As said, a bit early to be digging up this years parsnips, Christmass is about the earlest I would pick.

We roast them in with either the spuds or in base of meat tray.

Based with honey is very nice...we have lots of honey spare.

[DD.]

Way too early.

Peel before cooking.

[whippersnapper]

Grow enough so that you can freeze some which have suffered (!) a hard frost to last you until the following Winter.

 

[Jonajo]

yes too early for them. They do need the frost to bring out their natural sweetness - without that frost they are not that amazing to eat. It's like the difference between raw cake mix and the cooked version!!! Once they have had some frost they turn into this stunningly flavoured vegetable.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Mine are only about as thick as string, i acidently pulled one up when weeding, are mine at the right stage, just made me panic after seeing that someone is actually harvesting theres allready

[Cheshire Phill]

Agree with others, way, way too early, Nov onwards...I've eaten a couple as "thinnings", but they were 12-18" long, so goodness knows waht they'll be like come the first frosts!!!

I love a good snip!

Phill 

[solway cropper]

Mine are only about as thick as string

Had a furtle round some of mine the other day and the shoulders are about one inch across 

A couple of months and a few frosts and I'll be in parsnip paradise.

[Spana]

Sorry but we have eaten some of mine and they're smashing
I didn't sow them untill  19th May so was a bit surprised to find they are not a bad size and they taste lovely.
Dug these yesterday

[Yorkie]

Show off 

Mind you, Cornwall is a different country.  They do things differently there   

[Spana]

Mind you, Cornwall is a different country.  They do things differently there   

Yeh, usually wearing a rain coat

Seriously tho, i've found parsnips do much better and seem to grow quicker if sown late.

[Comfortably Numb]

Seriously tho, i've found parsnips do much better and seem to grow quicker if sown late.

You could well be right 
I didn't sow mine until the last week in April this year and they look to be the best I've ever grown. Already tried a couple a few weeks ago.
Personally, I think they taste great whether frosted or not 

[Quetzal]

Mine are only about as thick as string

Last year I had an enormous variation in the size of my parsnips - from tiny through to things like baseball bats. So don't panic if you've only seen one snip, the others might be monsters.

Seriously tho, i've found parsnips do much better and seem to grow quicker if sown late.

The riverford farm cookbook says exactly the same thing - wait until the soil has heated up before sowing.

[Yorkie]

Likewise, I've waited to sow until April rather than Feb up here.