The 8 foot parsnip....and mystery chrysalis...chrysalii....chrys alises?

[British Red]

Pictures man! Pictures.

Well - this is the monster seed producing parsnip patch


8 foot parsnip by British Red, on Flickr

See - told you they get big

They have a couple of dozen chrysalises on them too


chrysalis by British Red, on Flickr

This one you can see the caterpillar in it


chrysalis and caterpillar by British Red, on Flickr

Would love to know what they are if anyone can educate me?

Red

[Hoodoo]

Looks like a webworm of some sort. How about this?

[British Red]

Wow...never heard of them...pretty sure you have it spot on Hoodoo.

My first year of letting them go over to seed so I am learning a lot.....

COnsider me educated - thanks!

[sandbender]

"...Well - this is the monster seed producing parsnip patch..."

Now that is quite remarkable, thanks for posting.

[spiritwalker]

just remember the seeds do not keep well viability will be ok for next year but beyond that the germination ratio goes way down...

[British Red]

Indeed - but a few of these will be left for the year after


Parsnip by British Red, on Flickr

It does appear that parsnip in particular is best used fresh...I have had other types that seem good for several years....

[HillBill]

Good one Hoodoo.

Looks like a webworm of some sort. How about this?

[HillBill]

Red, is that special seed or is that a common height for the plant to reach?

Never grown parsnips, though they are on the cards.

[British Red]

I understand they are always big...

They are biennial so you have to let them grow into year two for the flowers (carrots too). They use all the energy in the root to make a much bigger plant and seed heads. Carrots go about 2 foot with big white flowers.

Parsnips are monsters though. Don't know if they all get quite so large - this is an heirloom variety (Tender and True) that we like, so decided to go to seed save it. We are trying to move to be entirely using saved seed - its a big earning curve for me I can tell you!

I just did a big post on all the failures this years weather has caused us - happy to bung it up here if there is interest

Red

[HillBill]

I saw the potato blight salad, looks lovely.

I'll find it if its not that thread you were referring to.

Didn't know they were biennials tbh, we grow parsley though so i'm familiar with the type.

We are saving our own seeds too this year. We grow most stuff in planters/containers so it pays to save some money to help towards compost costs. We are leaning towards perennials and fruit atm so we dont have to keep buying compost. Got too much stuff growing all over the place. Be glad when some of its harvested.

Courgettes have had it with the black rot and the broad beans are borderline getting cut down because of chocolate spot. Might leave a lot of it next year until we get our own land to grow on,

I understand they are always big...

They are biennial so you have to let them grow into year two for the flowers (carrots too). They use all the energy in the root to make a much bigger plant and seed heads. Carrots go about 2 foot with big white flowers.

Parsnips are monsters though. Don't know if they all get quite so large - this is an heirloom variety (Tender and True) that we like, so decided to go to seed save it. We are trying to move to be entirely using saved seed - its a big earning curve for me I can tell you!

I just did a big post on all the failures this years weather has caused us - happy to bung it up here if there is interest

Red

[British Red]

Didn't post it on this forum Mark - I'll bung it up though!

[Tengu]

I love parsnips.

[British Red]

You have never had one unless it went in the oven fresh from the ground. They are like peas - fresh, they are sweet, tender, soft and delicious. A few days old (like in the shops) wrinkly, tough, starchy.

Find someone who grows them and blag a panful. Roast in a medium oven with a little oil and a drizzle of honey over.

The food of the Gods!

[HillBill]

Cheers Red

Didn't post it on this forum Mark - I'll bung it up though!

[squishy]

That's what a parsnip looks like?! makes me wonder how I've always managed to loose mine in my veg patch!

[Hoodoo]

Red, you've got a heckuva green thumb. I'm pretty sure I've never had really fresh parsnips.

[British Red]

Its an experience Hoodoo...I tried some at a mates house with a roast dinner decades back. I actually asked what they were!

I said "where did you get them"....

and a gardener was born!

The joy is, they sit in the earth happily all winter even after the top growth has died off. Just dig up as needed. Any leftovers run to seed the next year...and so the cycle continues.

I wish I could send you some to try...but I suspect they would lose something in the post!

[Hoodoo]

Its an experience Hoodoo...I tried some at a mates house with a roast dinner decades back. I actually asked what they were!

I said "where did you get them"....

and a gardener was born!

The joy is, they sit in the earth happily all winter even after the top growth has died off. Just dig up as needed. Any leftovers run to seed the next year...and so the cycle continues.

I wish I could send you some to try...but I suspect they would lose something in the post!

I'll have to start checking the local farm markets around here to see if I can find some fresh ones.

[squishy]

I used to hate parsnips when I was little, then my sister made roast snips with melted cheese and I've loved them ever since I'd even go so far as to say they are my favourite veg. Unfortunately every time I've tried to grow some I've always let the weeds grow too big by the time they sprout and I never know what is snip and what is weed! I'm determined to grow some though and they are on next years 'to grow' list

[santaman2000]

I used to hate parsnips when I was little, then my sister made roast snips with melted cheese and I've loved them ever since I'd even go so far as to say they are my favourite veg...

Parsnips au grautin. I like that idea.

[Man of Tanith]

Crickey, having never let them go to seed i didn't realise they would grow so large.
back about 6 years an Ex and i had a very good Veg patch in my back garden, the parsnips were looking magnificent,i had plans for rast parsnips,parsnip crisps and possibly parsnip wine
i came home one afternoon from work and the Ex had dug them all up and made a curried parsnip soup. it was more suitable to use to either repair boot soles or holes in the pavement and tasted even worse, words were had i can assure you