[Lottie Digger]

Just dug my parsnips and they all look like swede with tentacles. Anyone suggest why?

[DD.]

Stones, lumps of manure, generally very heavy soil etc..

Still edible though!

[AndyRVTR]

Like carrots, parsnips will fork if they hit any resistance in the soil, stones, unrotted manure etc, but as DD says still edible

[solway cropper]

I grow all my snips and carrots in deep containers of sifted soil as that's the only way I can get good straight roots.

[sunshineband]

I don't go to the lengths that Solway Cropper and other do,and manage decent root crops.

I dig out the stones, leaving nothing more than an inch across in the top foot or so of soil, and have lightened the heavy clay with organic matter in the autumn.

They manage then just fine with the occasional twist, althought no doubt the 'special soil' ones will be totally perfect. I don't enter mine into shows so don't mind the odd bits sometimes.

[boldondig]

Did you sow them direct or transplant them out ? I sowed a bed direct - but as Parsnip seeds are notoriously slow to germinate ( and the weeds are a lot faster ) I had gaps which I filled with Parsnips stated of in paper pots - transplanting as soon as first set of true leaves appeared. I have a lot of Parsnips like yours - they look strange but taste good - and was wondering if the transplanted caused it ...

[DD.]

Parsnips dislike transplanting, you have to be very careful. If you do it like this, the best way is individually in paper pots, burying the whole pot and doing it before the tap root reaches the bottom of it.

[BigPaddy]

... before the tap root reaches the bottom of it.

Which is about the time you see the seedling appearing. they really do put down a long root very quickly.

BP

[DD.]

At that is where a lot go wrong.

A plot neighbour of mine started his in 1" deep seed trays!