Focus on…Parsnips

THESE unmistakable roots are a must-grow in the winter garden. Pureed, casseroled, chipped or roasted, they keep us fuelled in these chillier months – but how can you ensure success on the plot?

Being biennial, parsnips are geared towards creating a sizeable root in their first year, ready to flower the next. With parsnips taking well over 30 weeks to mature, this is a long-haul crop. Like their carrot relatives, parsnips are slow to germinate. Caused partly by irregular seed maturity leading to immature seed embryos, it’s unsurprising that suppliers legally need to sell us seed with only a 65%