Parsnips

Hi chums. I've noticed that three of my Parsnips have bolted, two of which I have dug up and they were fine. All my parsnips have made good growth, they stand at around 3 ft tall, the same as last year. Any idea why this has happened ?
Cheers...freddy.

 

Hi John. I sowed the seed in early march (as I recall) into toilet roll cores in the greenhouse. As soon as they were up (around 2 weeks) I planted them out into the plot. This is how I've always started/grown them, first time I've had this though. Maybe my acidic soil ?
Cheers...freddy.

 

Hi John. I always use Tender and True, might try Gladiator next year.

 

" I always use Tender and True"

me too

 

Now don't you go tempting fate!

 

I think they are an open-pollinated "traditional" variety aren't they? So you would expect some plant-to-plant variation, including bolting.

 

Although "Summer?" has been pretty wet and horrible, the late spring/early summer was fairly dry. My guess is that the two bolted plants got checked due to lack of water.
Ours, Gladiator, are doing unusually well this year, I've had to remove the enviromesh as they were pushing it up and I may require a JCB to harvest them :lollol:
My first sowing direct in the ground failed completely so I sowed more in peat pots and these went in in early May I think, I've been a bit lazy this year and haven't always noted sowing times)