Parsnips, should I leave them or dig them up?

I have parsnips coming up from last year. Should I leave them or dig them up?

moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic

 

They will bloom this year and set seed if you leave them. If you want to eat them, dig them up soon.

 

And be careful you may find that they have a very hard central core where the flower stem originates.

 

I dug all the parsnips out a few weeks ago. This is all new growth coming up.

 

Donna, just a thought... but leave them and if they flower it would draw beneficial insects into your garden, they love this type of flower. My dill and fennel are covered with them all summer long.

 

Thanks Carolyn and Palustris for info.

 

We dug all ours out after the first frost. I dug out the ones I missed yesterday. I will dig out the others I missed when I get round to digging that bit of the Veg garden.