Parsnip surprise

This is the first time I’ve grown parsnips. They seem to be doing well, although I probably haven’t given them enough space, letting them squeeze together in a couple of pots.

But when will they be ready for picking? I read one book that said it’s when they’re about two foot high. Well, some of mine had reached that, so I thought I’d pull one out. I wanted to avoid leaving it for so long that the roots had become tough and woody.

What I found was a relatively large bulb immediately below the surface and a lot of little parsnips growing out of it.

I’d been expecting to find just one parsnip. So do parsnips grow in bunches, as these ones look like they would if I’d left them? Or is this some kind of anomaly caused by transplanting or a time when it was short of water or something?

Anyway, my conclusion is that I should leave the rest to keep on growing for quite a few more weeks. Any thoughts would be welcome.

Originally published at greenhousetales.blogspot.co.uk on July 2, 2016.