Parsnip leaves.

[Scoot]

Is it worth cutting these off to allow the frost at the roots? The reason i ask is we've had 3 or 4 nights of frosts here and my Parsnips still don't seem to have that sweet taste. They're nice, I'm actually just about to have some with my leek pudding and mince but they don't have that sweet taste. I was wondering if it was because the leaves have fallen over onto the the soil and are sort of protecting the roots from any frosts.

They're half long guernsey's.

[Aberdeenplotter]

For me that is a no simply because the tops are so handy in giving something to get a hold of when lifting them. I know we haven't yet had what we would call a meaningful frost up here and a meaningful frost is when the ground sets like concrete and the leaves hanging over wouldn't prevent that. I think you just need to be patient .

Now a word of warning, if you cut or break the leaves of parsnip and get that on your skin you could end up with parsnip burn (see this link for a proper explanation http://commonsensehome.com/parsnip-burn/) and that is really really painful. Parsnip is related to the Giant Hogweed plant. Nuff said

[vixylix]

Wow AP I did not know that - I'll be much more careful with mine now!

[Bigmallly]

Due to my leaves looking a pigs ear, I cut them all down a couple of weeks ago to around 6" above soil level..............whether it's right or wrong is debatable.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Wow AP I did not know that - I'll be much more careful with mine now!

I learned the hard way. It is extremely painful

[Scoot]

I never knew that either. I'll be careful in future.

[Snadger]

Chooks want nowt to do with parsnip tops, so I figured there must be summat a matter with them!
I always thought it was because they were related to the Mandrake roots!

[Bren In Pots]

I leave the leaves in place so I get a rough idea how many parsnips I've got let.

[Chippy Minton]

I leave the leaves in place so I get a rough idea how many parsnips I've got let.

I also find it helps finding the blighters, once the tops have gone I have to "root" around to find them, until they sprout in spring when they've developed a woody core.....

As AP says it's not the slight ground frost that you need it's the proper hard frost, I expect it's the ground that's insulating them more than the leaves......

[Scoot]

I also find it helps finding the blighters, once the tops have gone I have to "root" around to find them, until they sprout in spring when they've developed a woody core.....

As AP says it's not the slight ground frost that you need it's the proper hard frost, I expect it's the ground that's insulating them more than the leaves......

I see. Here's hoping to some cold weather before Xmas then. As I want sweet parsnips on my Christmas dinner plate. Lol.

[Penellype]

Wow - I had no idea that parsnip and carrot foliage could do that. I offered carrot foliage to my horses a while back, thinking they would love it as they adore carrots, but they wouldn't touch it.

[Jonnyt]

Wow. I thought I'd been bitten by spiders or something as I had exactly as per the article all up my arm and elbow after gardening one morning. Three months later I still have the scars, it took ages to even heal.

[Lisasbolt]

Wow so interesting and so many of us did not know about that. Thanks

[BUFFS]

Chooks want nowt to do with parsnip tops, so I figured there must be summat a matter with them!
I always thought it was because they were related to the Mandrake roots!

it seems I now associate mandrakes with harry potter, what a sad man I am...but I do enjoy the films as they have a good story

[rary]

Just a thought, would putting the parsnip into the freezer for a short time, just long enough to chill them rather than freezing help the taste, as I did not grow parsnips this year I cant try it myself, but can anyone tell me if this works?