[viettaclark]

Reminds me of the story of "The Enormous Turnip". (You all remember that one, surely.....?)
My 'snips are in deeeeep because of the dry Summer and although the earth is fairly moist now they are REALLY imbedded! Doesn't help that they're quite close together in 18" raised beds.
Is there a technique or even an ingenious little tool to get them out without damage? My lovely long roots are snapping or getting mashed by the trowel.......
I keep putting off going out to pick because it takes so much time and effort to pull them!!!!!

[JayG]

Unlike with spuds you can get away with using a spade for loosening parsnips ('cos you know where they are!)

I wouldn't have thought a trowel was quite up to the job and forks have a knack of carving a slice out of them (in my hands at least!)

[Thrift]

I know exactly what you mean vietta! Some of mine are so deep that I can't help damaging them with the fork.

[savbo]

hmmmm I'm imagining an 18" length of angle iron welded onto the end of a spade.... last year I rarely managed to get a parsnip up without losing at least the bottom couple of inches

[Beetroot queen]

Last year I went to pull one of ours and asked hubby for a spade he came back with a hand fork haha he soon realised once we got the 5pm monster out of the ground when I ask for a spade I mean a spade

[azubah]

I find it best to start from one end of the row and dig a big hole to the side of the parsnip, and then get hold of the top and pull it to the side. The hole left by this makes getting the next parsnip in line easier without so much digging.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I use a ditching tool. The blade is about 6" wide and about 15" deep. Perfect for the job and not too expensive at Wickes. It gets right down underneath the parsnips and levers them up from below

[ermck1]

Water them really well and wfter watering give them a wiggle and a tug.

If this doesnt work water and then loosen with a fork.

M

[Trillium]

I have to use a garden fork on mine, the kind with a 4ft handle, etc, not some bitsy hand trowel or fork. Trick is to get it mid row and do a lot of jiggling back and forth, then progressively push the fork deeper into the soil and jiggle it more.

I usually got the tips out, sometimes almost 3 ft long. Considering mine grow in clay, I find that amazing. obviously the tips liked where they were living 

[Growster...]

I have to use a garden fork on mine, the kind with a 4ft handle, etc, not some bitsy hand trowel or fork. Trick is to get it mid row and do a lot of jiggling back and forth, then progressively push the fork deeper into the soil and jiggle it more.

I usually got the tips out, sometimes almost 3 ft long. Considering mine grow in clay, I find that amazing. obviously the tips liked where they were living 

I was going to try to say this yesterday, but the words didn't form as eloquently as yours Trills!

It also works if they're a bit squonky, as our's are in places owing to drought and liquid feed at the wrong time...

[viettaclark]

Can't get up on the bed with my knees! That's why OH built the raised beds.....So the spade is a no-no. However, the water trick may work and I shall gird my loins and give those squonky (such a lovely word, Growster!) parsnips a deluge and a wiggle tomorrow.
Then make some lovely soup.....