Parsnips starting to regrow

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by silu, Jan 22, 2017.

  1. silu

    silu gardening easy...hmmm

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    So far this winter we have had it pretty mild (don't have a thermometer but have outside tap used daily and it is a great indicator as to temperature and it's only been soild for 2 days in November SO FAR!)
    I was lifting some Parsnips today for supper and see the damn things are beginning to get new top growth:wallbanging:.
    I presume that I need to get lifting the rest (a lot) asap? This does not suit as my chest freezer is jammed full of god knows all what and I'd be lucky to squeeze much more in it. It already has a paving slab on it to keep the lid down!
    If it gets much colder as February often can do you think I can leave the Parsnips in for say another month? by which time the "crisis" of the deep freeze should have improved or am I best to lift them and suppose puree them then freeze (maybe, if I'm lucky) so they take up as little space as possible. The only other alternative would be to lift and feed them to the family for breakfast lunch and dinner for the next 3 weeks:).
     
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    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

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      Have they started putting out the fine white side roots yet Silu?
       
    • silu

      silu gardening easy...hmmm

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      Yes @Zigs the bugg..s have. I noticed them on the ones I lifted. All suggesting they need to be lifted I fear?
       
    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

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      Yep, the goodness will start to go out of them :sad:

      Can you stretch to one of these?

      5-Tier Food Dehydrator

      That was just the first one I found, got mine cheaper from Amazon.

      Then you could save them to lob in your Haggis and Tartan soup later on :)
       
    • NigelJ

      NigelJ Total Gardener

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      Parsnip wine
       
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      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        Lift them before they develop woody cores.
         
      • silu

        silu gardening easy...hmmm

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        Ahha thought there would be some smart remark. If only I could lob my ever increasingly woody Parsnips as far as Sumerzet!
        Gawd the ones I have roasting atm were quite (hellishly) woody. Nearly bust my preparing knife on them and decided to remove the centres which will be okish for some NON (NB Zigs) tartan soup.
        Had a look at the link thanks Zigs. This is quite a good idea which I need to do some homework on. I saw that @JWK has something similar to use on his excess Tomatoes. Hopefully he will see this and give me his views. Part of my excess in freezer "problem" is because I have huge bags of frozen excess Tomatoes .
        Thank you @NigelJ. I wonder if there is somewhere I could buy a bottle and see if I like it or not before I go to the bother. I like fairly dry white wine and can't imagine I would like Parsnip wine but maybe completely wrong. I did make Elderberry wine once......accent on the once. Only fit to offer someone you didn't want to accept the offer of a 2nd drink! Excellent for anybody who qualified for 1 of my granny's cracking remarks " My god he had his sitting breeks on" (said of someone who didn't know when to leave). They don't make grannies like they used to, PC and mine were a million miles apart and I loved her dearly for it :):)
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          Yes I have got a dehydrator silu but never used it on parsnips, yet. I will give it a go as I've had success with other veggies that were a bit of an experiment: Pumpkins and Beetroot are both good and we add them to soups and casseroles over the winter. (Tomatoes are definitely the star performer when dried, again added to soups etc or re-hydrated with balsamic vinegar/oil for salads - they are lovely!).

          The great thing is they store in plastic bags in the Larder so don't take up valuable freezer space.

          Wish we had your weather silu, it's been very cold down here since Christmas. My garden has been frozen solid for over a week now, no chance of getting any more parsnips up until it thaws out. We have had -5C over-night for the past few nights and only getting just above freezing during the day. Only good thing is that it should be holding my Parsnips back from re-growing.
           
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          • Phil A

            Phil A Guest

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            Use a turbo yeast and you'll have a dry white wine and as strong as Buckie :Wino:
             
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            • silu

              silu gardening easy...hmmm

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              Excuse me, how could you even imagine I knew what Buckie is:lunapic 130165696578242 5:.Hellish stuff but does the job I suppose of getting you paralitic in superfast time and cheaply. I'd choose Scrumpy every day of the week to do the same job but it isn't readily available in Scotland
               
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              • silu

                silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                Thanks @JWK. When storing do the plastic bags need to be vaccum pack types or just similar to freezer bags? Also what make is yours and would you recommend? I also have A LOT of frozen cooked Beetroot. Do you cook yours before or after dehydrating. If I got 1 could I use it on the currently frozen Toms and Beetroot if I defrosted them before putting in the machine. Can you sense the note of desperation here? I have SO much stuff in my freezer it is a military manoeuvre to get anything out of it unless what I want is right on the top.
                On the weather, isn't it bonkers we have been incredibly mild unlike the SE of England. Should be the other way round!
                 
              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                Thanks for the heads up @silu - I will watch this thread with interest, as I am considering buying a dehydrator.

                I was also wondering about sliced fruits (apples, pineapple, strawberry, banana etc) thinking they might make some tasty snacks.
                 
              • Phil A

                Phil A Guest

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                • Jack McHammocklashing

                  Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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                  Get another Freezer for £40 + £12 delivery, from Castle Furniture, CUPAR/GLENROTHES
                   
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                  • JWK

                    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                    My dehydrator is made by Andrew James, it's does a good job in my limited experience (had it just over a year now). At the minimum you need a model that has temp control and a timer. The bad news is that it takes up to 36 hours to dry things (depending on how thick you slice them), also mine is fairly noisy so it wouldn't be good to leave it going in an open plan kitchen - mine is in the Utility so noise isn't an issue for us.

                    I have only ever dehydrated fresh raw veggies, not cooked. I doubt you could dehydrate already frozen stuff, I should imagine they would break up, but it's not something I've tried.

                    We store our dehydrated stuff in different ways, the tomatoes are in big screw top jars but we didn't have enough of those so we also used tupperware type plastic boxes and ordinary sandwich bags as well. Last year they stored just fine through to May when we ate the last of them.

                    I've tried drying quite a few different veggies, Kale was horrible (although folk on YouTube raved about it). Onions were nice but a bit pointless as I manage to store enough in the shed overwinter to last. The tastiest thing I found are dried bananas, they are scrumptious ! but again a bit pointless as I obviously don't grow those and they can be bought all year round fresh.
                     
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