I have already created my parsnip seed tapes for the coming season. I plan on planting 2 x 20' rows, as that ought to be enough for my trail of parsnips, since I have not even tried eating a parsnip yet. I still wonder what success I will have in trying freeze the parsnips seeds for planting next year? I want to over winter a couple of the Harris Model parsnips so I have seeds in two years and I want to try another variety next year. What variety of parsnips, does everyone like? thanks, Dean

good for you, Donna. I don't know how to advise you to make the growing season longer. Here in MI, right in the middle of its range, we plant them in spring and let them grow the whole season. You need to plant them earlier, but earlier for you means soil that is too hot (they germinate best at 68F, and will not germinate above 86F). So, either do as we do, plant in spring outside, and be prepared for monster roots next February, or seed them indoors and transfer to the garden immediately in July. Perhaps you can use some part shade in the culture, but I don't have a good idea how. They are worth the effort. I appreciate all root vegetables, but parsnips are my favorite. They have to go through a few freezes to be at their best, if not, they will be like those in the store. They are also great for self-seeding if you have the space.

I've done both - can't give you any insight as to which is the correct way to go.

Thank you for the GREAT information, Margaret. Thats exactly what I needed to know. I didnt know parsnip seed lost its viability that quickly. Thats probably why I got such poor germination this year! I used seed I had left from last year! With my tiny garden, I always have a LOT of seed left overand most of them still work fine for a couple years. Parsley seed and tomato seed I think are viable forever and ever, world without end, amen! Can you tell me how closely you need to watch when the seed starts to ripen? Does it fall off of the plant pretty easily, or does it hang on well enough that you can leave it dry pretty well before harvesting it? Now that I know it works well, I just may leave a parsnip or two in the ground every year to grow my own seed. Theyre kind of pretty when theyre bloomingIll call them garden art! Andin addition to the humorI got some good recipes too! When you do the roasting method, Margaret, do you melt the butter and pour it over them? And how much do you use? And how much brown sugar? ANDdo they come out mushy like winter squash, or are they still in individual pieces? They cook SO quickly when you boil them, but when I do them in the oven with pot roast, they can bake a long time and still stay looking like parsnipsand be soft, but not mushy! But Im not a big fan of creaming veggies! When I was a kid, my mother creamed EVERYTHING! I guess I just got really tired of it. Shed just cook things, pour off the water, add a little bit of milk, and thicken it. I HATED veggies back then! But more than the creaming, I think the real problem was that she couldnt stand to throw anything out (got married during the depression!), so thered always be a few tough, stringy pieces of whatever it was that you couldnt chew and had to try to gag downsince you were required to eat all your vegetables! And she always cooked everything to a pulp too! Like you, Digit, with things like peas and corn, I heat them until theyre just barely hot, and things that really do need to be cooked a little bit, I cook just barely long enough to get them tender enough to eat. I LOVE veggies now! Still dont like lima beanseven little onesand I DONT like okra! Vegetables shouldnt be furry! I have a question! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE white sauce! But Ive always heard that it has a kazillion calories. Ive never been able to figure out how adding a little bit of butter and flour to milk would suddenly turn it into a calorie monster, so, does anybody know if thats a myth, or if white sauce really does have a kazillion calories! If thats a myth, Ill start making more of it, but if its true-----well, Ive recently managed to loose a couple of the "old age" pounds Ive put on in the last 6 monthsand Im not about to do something thats gonna put them back onto my rapidly headin south bod! I like veggies plain too! And, Digit, I dont think you need this anymore, but you just didnt google the right thing! Heres a link to a whole list of creamed carrot recipes! Thanks all, Skybird