[samnorfolk]

Im unsure when my parsnips will be ready for harvesting??

[mumofstig]

Wait until after the first frosts, then you can start to dig them as you want to eat them 

[Kristen]

I like to leave mine until they get a frost, as that makes them sweeter.  Some winters that can be too late into the Winter though!

We see them as a Winter veg, so we don't harvest them in Autumn, but other than that depends when they are fat enough - they won't grow much once it gets cold, but they might put on some thickness as yet, and how many you have relative to how many you will eat over winter.  Tends to be less home grown veg mid winter, so we keep them for then.

[devonbarmygardener]

Likewise - I do what Kristen above says

[Steveharford]

I agree it's good to get the frost into them a bit but don't let that put you off taking a few now if you have enough. I dug a couple about a month ago for roasting and they were divine.

[strangerachael]

You could always dig a few up and put them in the freezer before eating, if you can't wait for a frost!

[sunshineband]

You could always dig a few up and put them in the freezer before eating, if you can't wait for a frost!

I did this the first year I had any decent ones as I couldn't wait. 


I am of course more restrained now 

[A Reyt Tayty]

I dug one up early yesterday as I was making some Tayty hash and fancied some parsnip in it. Seemed a bit a bit woody when cutting it up. Boiled ok though. Mind you, my guts have been a bit bubbly this morning, and I'm blaming the parsnip. 

[8doubles]

It can pay to dig a few parsnips after the first frosts and bury them together in sand or light soil on their sides.
This way you can get at them if the ground freezes hard.

Another good tip is to push a longish stick tight in on the same side of every snip, if you get 6" of snow you will know where to put the fork in without skewering the prize !

[simonwatson]

I pulled a couple a week ago as I needed to thin them a bit. They weren't that good taste wise so I'm waiting for the frost before I pull any more.