oh yes,a different parsnip question

[lottie dolly]

been the lottie today and noticed the parsnip foliage has almost died down,is this normal when left in over the winter,previously a couple had started to go to seed,and i was hoping to get some fresh seed from them,is there a chance that life will spring anew in a few weeks,the ground is very frozen,thanks

[BarleySugar]

All the leaves have gone off my parsnips. My understanding is that root crops, like parsnips, carrots beet etc, grow their roots in the first year and spout again to flower and seed in the second, i.e. biennial. You would not want to save seed from plants that 'bolt', i'e' flower in the first year, as this is not a trait you would want to preserve.

[lottie dolly]

thank you barleysugar,i now presume,of the ones still overwintering,i leave some to seed,and the rest if i can find them,should be fine to eat,i guess it's wait and see then,

[Snadger]

They make a very ornate plant when they do seed! If it's seed you want just leave em in and when they start to grow again they will bolt straight away.
Sometimes parsnips get a thing called 'crown rot' if this happens they won't usually grow again!

[Birdie Wife]

They are amazing - I thought I'd save my own parsnip seed last year and I left a row of parsnips to run to seed. They shot up to 6' tall and each one made loads of seed! I'm just going to leave one next year good windbreak though, even better than JAs!

[zazen999]

Vegetable Seeds : Parsnip Seed

Scroll to the bottom for seed saving instructions...