Parsnip grown HUGE!

I was given loads of veg seed at the end of last season including plenty of Parsnip seeds. I thought they wouldn't germinate as I'd read Parsnip seed doesn't keep. WELL it germinated amazingly admittedly with the help of my heated propagator. I've never grown Parsnips before. I planted out the small seedlings at about the end of April and they have roared off. The foliage must be a good 3 ft tall and god knows how big the roots are. I had a quick look at them today and am not convinced that they aren't going to flower...eeeek. I had intended to leave them in situ till the winter and pull when I wanted them as love them roasted. What happens if I am right and they are going to flower/bolt? Will I have to lift them now before they flower? and suppose I'll have the bother of blanching and freezing...all very tiresome. I've obviously done something far too well!!!!!! I have some Carrots which could well be going the same way, I'm beginning to think I should have stuck to just growing plants which I do know a fair bit about but I'm quite a novice at this veg lark and my lack of knowhow is showing. I'm not going to even mention what is going on in my greenhouse, let's just say I need a machete to get into it

 

If you plant them out too early they can bolt, but the end of april should be ok.
The leaves can put on quite a show.

 

Dunno, but I've never transplanted parsnips or carrots.
Think you run the risk of them bolting by growing that way.
So lots of top, and not much root??? perhaps.

 

Thanks. Decided to lift 5 to see and have loads of roots about 8/9inches long so quite happy with that. A couple are forked which presumably is because of stone like Carrots? The reasons I started mine in the propagator was because the seed was last years and didn't know if it would germinate or not. The other reason is I've heard Parsnips don't like cold soil to germinate in and I live in Scotland so was thinking I'd never get germination until about June! I'll try next year leaving things a bit later and cover where I'll sow them with some polythene to see if I can get the soil warmed up a bit. If I do see flowers do I have to lift the remainder?

 

I come from a generation that said parsnips need a frost before lifting.
I'm not a fan of parsnips so I'm very ready to be discounted.

But I once read that like brussel sprouts,, (which also change after a frost), the starch needs to turn to sugar, and it only does that at a low temperature.

But as usual, the supermarkets seem to sell them almost year round now.

 

I have never blanched carrots... I just give them a good clean, chop them up and put them straight into the freezer, never ever had a problem

Freezers are different today, I just put mine on super freeze for about half hour and hey presto they are great, I'm going to shred my Savoy cabbages later and do the same, I'll pop these on a tray to freeze then bag up....simples.

My parsnips were a disaster so will have another go at them.

Enjoy your veg your doing very well

 

Thanks all, now all I need to do is find a home for my tonnes of Chard. Good god the stuff grows like Topsey! I was given (along with the Parsnip seed), a packet of Bright Lights Swiss Chard, not sure I would have chosen to grow it but as I had a free packet of seed it seemed awful to waste it. This stuff should come with a health warning! I only sowed it about 6 weeks ago, now it's taking over the veg patch and next stop my flowerbeds....JESSSSS. I was wondering @Apple Blossom as you are knowledgeable about freezing veg, can I freeze this stuff? and do I need to blanch first? (fingers crossed I don't!). I am not 1 of those fussy type people who has to have their food looking perfect so as long as it's edible and tastes ok it wouldn't matter if the colour was a bit off. To be honest The Bright Lights is a bit OTT what with red, pink, yellow and green stalks, eeeeek!

 

Savoy was another winter veg.
Nobody touched them till November., at the earliest, and just picked when needed right through the winter.
If you are going to freeze it, probably easier to buy it.

 

Me too, nothing like being dispatched to the plot on Xmas/Boxing Day/New Year's Day/etc. with a fork and carrier bags to either try prising your Parsnips from ground frozen solid/covered with snow/so waterlogged you sink to the top of your wellies trying to pull/prise the things out, return with a bag full of 50% Parsnips, 50% mud, then scrub them in a bucket of water after pouring boiling water on the outside tap to un-freeze it, before proudly presenting the results to OH, who's looks you ignore because you know they will taste far superior to those nasty clean, uniform, sanitised, tasteless bagged Parsnips from the supermarket.

 

You need some Hens, they'll sort that out.

 

That will be a no I have enough of a zoo here already and neighbour has about 100 hens, Ducks, Chicken, Geese and Guinea Fowl which she spends much of her time protecting from Foxes despite having a really high fence which is also dug INTO the soil about 2ft surrounding their quarters to try and stop anything digging it's way in.
I'm far too soft hearted with animals that should I have a hen that wasn't producing there's no way I could wring it's neck as I believe you are supposed to do. I've already got a retired horse, 2 cats, a rescued goat and donkey...don't ask a long story! and did have a rescue pot bellied pig until just recently

 

OH NO ..... I have been given some chard!!!! Planted it about two weeks ago, to be honest I haven't a clue as this will be my first time too

I freeze a lot of my veg even when it's purchased from the local farm as I don't like waste, I use savoy shredded cabbage in many desirable dishes, frying it and adding fresh cream, cheese and herbs is my favourite or adding splashes of it to casserole and soups.

If you want my honest opinion I will take my chances eat some fresh and have a go freezing some, probably in a prepared dish, you don't know till you try

 

I agree, I remember my Dad growing them at that time of year, and we use to go to the allotment and cut what we needed, when we needed

I understand what your saying as freshly picked is the best but I use (local farm grown) and now my own from frozen in many of my homemade dishes all through the year and not just through the winter months