[Eblana]

Can anyone tell me when is the best time to harvest parsnips.  I have a few but not many this year as I had very little luck with germination (despite being brand new seed).  I would like to keep them for the unmentionable celebration - will they be ok in the ground till then with my sprouts.

[arugula]

They will be fine left in the ground until the unmentionable. In fact they improve in flavour if a frost gets to them.

[Yorkie]

Just make sure you keep an eye on the weather in the lead up to ****, as you really really don't want to try to crowbar them out of the ground ... 

[snowdrops]

As of last year I hedge my bets & dig a few up after a couple of good frosts & blanch & freeze them. The reason is for 2 years before,  I couldn't get them out of the ground for that special dinner & had to resort to buying them.   So now if there are some in the freezer I can use them or straight from the plot if weather permits. I win which ever way.

[gremlin]

Last year I saved them to dig between December and February.  They came out tough, like little wooden stakes, and had a lot of what I assumed was canker.

Sowed late this year.  A mistake, I think.  Have started digging a few already with a plan to get them all out before Jan.  Have had some smallish, not woody or cankery, but tasteless ones.

But next year they will be perfect.

[solway cropper]

I lifted the first of mine on 19th August. If you like parsnips I can't see the point of waiting for a frost and I'm not really sure it makes much difference to the taste anyway.

[Yana]

During my first year on the lottie I was scolded by the more experienced plot holders for diggin parsnips before the frost. Last year I left them and then couldn't get them out as they were welded in good and proper. . This year, I'm using them as I need them. Seem to taste ok even though no serious frosts yet.