Parsnip query

[zazen999]

Oh

I've just carefully saved and dried about 3,000 seeds

Swap you some of my 3000 beetroots

[butter fingers]

Hopefully someone can advise:

I'm growing a bed of parsnips (Gladiator F1 to be precise). I sowed back in April and the y have been growing along quite nicely. I went to the lottie yesterday and noticed one of my parsnips had bolted. I snapped off the seed head and later decided to dig up the root. My query is twofold. Firstly, I thought parsnips were biennial and they wouldn't go to seed until the 2nd year. If that is the case, any idea why this one has bolted? Secondly, as this one has bolted, what is the likelihood of the others doing the same thing? As I understand it, F1 seeds are bred to be alsmost identical, so I'm worried that the rest of my crop will do the same thing.

Many thanks in advance

Skotch

i would start to use them. i planted the same as you and the same month and my gladiators were pulled last week.they were huge! even the second sowings were what i call a normal size. i lost the ends on some as i couldnt dig them out they were so deep.

[Skotch]

i would start to use them. i planted the same as you and the same month and my gladiators were pulled last week.they were huge! even the second sowings were what i call a normal size. i lost the ends on some as i couldnt dig them out they were so deep.

I'm tryting to keep mine in the ground and just pull as needed. So far, I've pulled 2 - the first was huge - easily over 18" long, and not at all woody. The 2nd (which had bolted) was stumpier and had 4 or 5 roots coming from the central core. This was a lot woodier but the roasted end product was lovely. All this before the first proper frost to convert the starch to sugar. Looking forward to the rest and hope I don't get any more bolters

Skotch

[Skotch]

Just bumping this thread to show off really - sorry, but having a gloat about my success. Having never been able to so much as germinate a parsnip, this year I have a whole bed of them. This is what I pulled yesterday. I took the pics with my mobile, so apologies for the poor quality

[Florence Fennel]

Just bumping this thread to show off really - sorry, but having a gloat about my success. Having never been able to so much as germinate a parsnip, this year I have a whole bed of them. This is what I pulled yesterday. I took the pics with my mobile, so apologies for the poor quality

Congratulations on the whoppers Skotch - well done. I'm hoping I can harvest some decent ones for Christmas Dinner.