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Parsnips aren't very nice
Amanda Pope
Posts: 18
in Fruit & veg
my parsnips have grown well and I pulled two and roasted them to go with our roast tonight, but they were lacking in flavour and tough, almost woody. I am growing tender and true which I usually grow ....any ideas, is it because they need a frost or is this an old wives tale?
0
Posts
A frost does help as it triggers the root to convert starches to sugars which is why they get sweeter once frosted.
I left mine until December last year and they were delicious - problem was I'd fed them and they'd gone wild and ended up gnarled and twisted - mind you it isn't a beauty contest!
This year, they're in drainpipes and big pots and NO feed - I'm going to leave them until December again and hope for a frost or two
Thank you, I will resist digging any more until winter ....none of my produce would win a beauty contest but I love making a meal from the garden ...tonight it included ugly carrots, but they tasted really good!
Same - I can't be bothered to thin my carrot seedlings so some are trophy winners and some are mutant but as you say, they taste fresh and sharp - similarly my spring onions were not all exactly the same thickness / length like the Sainsbury's Stepford Wives spring onions but oh my, I didn't leave any!
I'm growing T&T, and harvested the first two in early July. I pulled one last week, and it was 18" long, and lasted me a week. It was tender, not woody. Could it be bad seeds?
I have picked most of mine from raised beds in polytunnel, have blanched and frozen them. Last week I cooked some from frozen and the were delicious!
Most unlikely to be the seeds unless they were your own saved and pollinated by something else. Usually growing conditions, one way or t'other, I'm afraid. They need (as you probably know!) friable fine soil (or sand) and NO manure or stones. Should be OK with a little fertiliser (I'd guess phosphate) but unnecessary if your soil's in good nick.
Woodiness tends to be caused by slow growth or being too old (I know the feeling) both of which are unlikely at this time of year.
Canker maybe? T&T's supposed to be resistant, I think.
Bit of a mystery.
They were new seeds because I find that parsnip seeds don't keep well. The plants seem enormous this year, vast leafy growth and huge parsnips ....hmmm.....perhaps it my cooking at fault! I blanched them, tossed them in flour and Parmesan and roasted them in the oven ....
Hi Amanda, totally agree, never use old parsnip seeds, poor return on germination. Regarding taste, I never pick mine until after a couple of good frosts, usually start of December with plenty for the Christmas table - amazing taste! Mine too have huge tops this year, hope that's a good sign.
Thanks everyone for you lovely replies and sound advice. I will await a few frosts and try again.
What do you all think about Monty sowing French beans about three weeks ago saying there us still time to grow and harvest before the winter?....I also put some in and they are climbing up the canes but I am not confident that they will flower and crop, does anyone have any experience in growing french beans so late in the season?