The harvest season for parsnips, like other types of vegetables, is largely determined by the sowing date. A special feature of this root vegetable is that it is easy to store outdoors in the winter, where the roots can remain unprotected in the ground until harvest.
When should you harvest parsnips?
Parsnips can be harvested as fresh vegetables in September if they were sown between March and May. If sowed late in June, the root vegetables can be harvested directly from the ground as winter vegetables from October or November.
Harvest parsnips as fresh vegetables in September
If you take advantage of the winter soil moisture for germination and sow parsnips outdoors from March to May, you can harvest tasty and vitamin-rich parsnip roots as early as September. Foam soups and purees made from home-grown parsnips go perfectly with the game dishes in autumn. Grated, the roots of the parsnip make a tasty raw vegetable salad with a dressing.
Sowing in June for harvest as winter vegetables
Sowing parsnips late in June means that the root vegetable cannot be harvested until October or November at the earliest. However, parsnip roots have the practical property that if they are grown late, they can be stored directly in the ground from June onwards for use as winter vegetables.
Cut off the parsnip leaves in autumn
If you want to get late-sown parsnips fresh from the bed all winter long, it makes sense to cut off the leaves in autumn. This prevents the roots from drying out due to the stem. In addition, the leaves of the parsnip can easily be used as green food for rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals.
Protect yourself from skin irritation
The leaves of parsnips contain so-called coumarin compounds, which, when combined with sunlight, can cause irritation to the skin. Since contact with parsnip leaves can even lead to blistering and pigmentation of the skin, gloves (€9.00 on Amazon) are strongly recommended for any work involving parsnips. Harvesting the roots after removing the leaves is possible without protection as they are harmless.
Tips & Tricks
Since parsnip roots have a very high mineral content and a low nitrate content, they can be used well to prepare baby food. Only a very short cooking time is necessary to prepare it as a stew, puree or soup addition. Cut into pieces, parsnips can also be drizzled with olive oil and cooked in the oven at 150°C for about 10 minutes to become crispy and he althy parsnip chips.