massive parsnips

Coveredinbees!!!!

I planted parsnips and thought I would dig a few for Sunday lunch just to see what I had got and they are so big I can't dig them out. I tried to get them out with a digging fork and they are getting damaged by the fork and not all of them is coming out of the ground. How do you get them out in one piece with out damaging them?

Meadows

Did you not thin them out when small, this would have allowed you room to dig them up?

I would use a small weeding trowel to dig down the side of the parsnips until you can get to the root, where I imagine you will find it is has a fairly hefty root which goes quite deep, just keep working at loosening the soil until you can get in to cut the root or free the whole thing.

If the are so big then they might not be that tasty to eat, smaller ones tend to be more tender and better flavoured.

Coveredinbees!!!!

I did thin them but I'm not sure I took enough out, never done parsnips before I just expected them to be carrot size. Apparently they need to be frosted first ? Can I put them in the freezer for a bit will that do the same.

mrbadexample

Before you pull the parsnip up, push it down. This should break off the fine micro-roots that come out from the main root and make it easier to lift.

Coveredinbees!!!!

when I manage to dig one out I'll take a picture they are really huge

valk_scot

They do grow a lot bigger than carrots. Mine are usually about a foot long and five to six inches across at the crown. They're tasty enough though, just remember to cut the tough core out. I usually station sow them rather than in a row, three seeds every nine inches and thin them down to one as they get to a couple of inches tall.

gpc273

Wait for the first couple of frosts, the flavour gets much better.