Does a parsnip left in the ground over the winter taste different than a parsnip eaten after fall harvesting? Does the starch turn to sugar? Perhaps someone that grows parsnips missed a few and found them in the spring? Jerry
Over here in the UK they taste better after a frost and they do keep in the ground so don't have to harvest them all at once.
While I can`t grow them in TexasI have heard others say they are much sweeter if left in the ground over winter !
I grew them when living in upstate NY, and never harvested until after a hard freeze. I didn't leave them to overwinter in the ground after I found we didn't really like parsnips, so I harvested after a hard freeze or two and gave them away.
I have grown parsnips here in southern Ontario a few times. I found out by accident that parsnips can be left in the ground all winter and harvested in the early spring.
I personally believe that one can begin harvesting parsnips after the first frost because, as Logan said. Having said that, if we leave them too long they become ...well... sort of pithy or spongy in the centre of the root. I do not know if that will happen where you live, but here leaving them in all winter is a no-no.
I have never grown them but think I will try it next summer. I have had great success with carrots and I do love the flavor of parsnips.
I used to love these but now find them too sweet, but the colder they have been the better they were in my experience.
CAYU-- I hope that you do try them...even if you turn out not to like the flavour or the piddly work with getting them started, you can always give them to someone. I agree with you CAROLYN.
I certainly find them to be so. They really can be a pain to germinate sometimes. I have used all sorts of methods, now I just chuck them in the ground, pass the sign of the cross over the rows and say three hail Mary's then let Mother Nature take its course. To give you an idea of how it can be: Once planted a row of 20-30 seeds and got four to germinate. Tch!
Don't let me scare you off, Cayu. It isn't always difficult...it is just that the germination can be difficult sometimes. Come on now--give it a go.
