Harvesting Parsnips is Success at last!!!
I’ve tried growing parsnips a few times over the years but never really had much success with harvesting parsnips. And that’s one of the things I love about gardening. If you keep at it, eventually you’ll find success one way or another.
I think maybe I was just too impatient before and never really gave parsnips enough time to grow. But this year, towards the end of summer I was sort of distracted and on set it and forget it mode and well, that seemed to work.
Parsnips like cold temperatures, in fact they like to be exposed to several nights of freezing temps and lucky for us, that’s not a problem here in Maine. 🙂
Lucy even got in on some of the digging action.
What a beauty!
I have a feeling roasted parsnips {and maybe even a stew} are on the menu for tonight.
We still have another row to excavate dig up but I think I’ll keep an eye on the evening temperatures and maybe wait another week or two and let the parsnips get a little bigger.
It’s hard to believe those parsnips are still growing out there in our nearly frozen kitchen garden, and I can’t stop thinking about how far into winter I could actually grow root vegetables {and maybe even some greens!} if I had a greenhouse.
But hey, maybe that’s a project for next year. Building a greenhouse and growing food year round in Maine. 😉
How about YOU? Are you still harvesting? If so, what? I’d love to hear about it.
Have a great day everyone,
~Mavis
Connie says
Eliot Coleman in Maine. 4 season gardening book. Definitely get a greenhouse.
JoAnn says
I was just going to write the same thing!
Meg C says
I have a butternut squash soup recipe that calls for potatoes, but when I have parsnips on hand they serve as a delicious substitute for the potatoes.
Carrie V says
That is great to know! I will try it! Thanks.
Dawn says
If you want a real treat, leave the rest of them in the ground until late winter/early spring. They get so sweet and yummy. Love roasted parsnips. Mmmmm.
Margo says
Love parsnips, but hard to grow in zone 10a. I have planted some recently, but so far, no germination. The ones you pulled up look fantastic! Love your posts about your garden. I am harvesting lots of collards, rapini leaves, and red chard. Have bok choy, beets, radishes, carrots, garlic, onions and scallions all growing. Just planted some potatoes as well. This is greens growing weather here. Love my greens!
Joely says
I second the greenhouse idea! Love it. Eliot Coleman and his wife Barbara Damrosch have written all about year round gardening in Maine. I would love to visit their Four Season Farm one day! If you haven’t read any of their books you will have a great time doing so over the winter!
Connie L says
Root veg stew (or beef stew) with parsnip, rutabaga, potato, carrot is one of my favorite comfort foods!
Kim says
Oh, please let us dream through your life……………getting a greenhouse next summer!
Wow! Who needs a life when one is living through YOUR Maine experience!
Linda Harper says
A greenhouse or hoop houses were a game changer for us. We built two in 2020 as our COVID project. We grow year round and get broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, spinach, radishes, greens, etc. all through the winter. Then we grow tomatoes, peppers, ect in the summer. It helps protect from the cold wind as much as keeps them a few degrees warmer. Definitely recommend them
Bella says
We are harvesting a plenty. This is the big raining season in the caraibes. Everything is growing like crazy right now, like a new leave on the banana trees twice a week crazy. Today we are eating stewed green papaya en salted beef.
Sue D says
I have parsnips still in the ground. Harvested a few and roasted them for Turkey Day. The rest I’ll probably leave until early spring.
Carrie V says
I am going to try to harvest the rest of the leeks in a giant pot on Friday if they have not frozen into mush. We had a beautiful snow today in Lake Tapps/Bonney Lake WA…so good and bad!! I had to make peppermint chip/chocolate chip cookies to share with the neighbors. It looks like Christmas with all the lights! Enjoy your parsnips Mavis…I will try those next year.
Emily says
My aerogardens are just starting to produce enough lettuce for a small harvest! The outdoor gardening season just finished last week with the last of the broccoli, kale, and teeny tiny carrot harvest here. I think you’re right with a hoop house or green house I could keep those cold weather crops going until spring.
Marti says
I agree to leave them in the ground. I’m in 4b zone and I never harvest them in the fall but enjoy them when the ground thaws in the spring. To me, they are a sign of spring. They don’t need to be protected–just let Mother Nature sweeten them during the winter months.
wil says
Here in Holland it will be less cold than in Main but am happy with my polytunnel greenhouse.There is woe growing cauliflower,endive .lettuce,winter spinach, and more in the greenhouse,outside growing Jerusalem artichokes,leeks,Brussels sprouts,May tuber,kale,palm cabbage,russian cabbage,there are still growing figs.pointed cabbage and I am planting garlic today,there is probably more I am not thinking about right now
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