<p>120 days. High yielding, superior storing ability, browncanker resistant. Bright white roots 25-30cm (10-12 in.) long and gently tapered. A May planting will give large tender roots.</p><p>CULTURE: Dig the soil deeply 30-40cm (12-16 in.) in the root crop bed to allow roots to develop full size. Do this when it is dry enough that the soil does not form lumps. Do not step on or near the bed at any time until harvest. For even longer parsnips, you can dig or form holes 60cm (2 ft.) deep. The root crops follow the cole crops in a rotation and that bed will have been limed and manured last year, so there is no need for fresh manure this year; rich soils make roots forked and hairy. Sow seeds any time between late March and mid-July, about 2-5cm (1-2 in.) apart and 1cm (1/2 in.) deep, in rows at least 30cm (12 in.) apart. Cover seed with fine compost or vermiculite to ensure good germination. Parsnips are slow to germinate and need to be kept moist for up to 3 weeks depending on the weather. The seedlings are weak and won’t push through crusted soil. Providing shade over the row in hot weather will help germination. Thin to 8cm (3 in.) apart once the plants are established. Weed carefully and keep watered regularly. <br>INSECTS: Carrot rust fly maggots may injure the roots of parsnips. The most reliable control is a floating row cover. <br>HARVEST: Flavour is better after the tops have been hit by a couple of good frosts. Dig the roots any time from October 1st through the winter as needed. Protect from freezing in the soil with a thick straw mulch if it is a hard winter. Parsnips keep better in well-drained soil. The average family will be well supplied with 6m (20 ft.) of row. <br>SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 60%. Days to emergence: 15-28. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 10-25 deg. C (50-75 deg. F). Days to maturity: from date of direct seeding. One gram contains approximately 275 seeds. Usual seed life: 1 year.</p><p>Like the carrot, the parsnip is a biennial, producing its long, edible tapering root the first year and flowering the second year. There are few varieties of parsnip, and it has never been bred for different colour or shape as has the carrot. Modern varieties aim to be resistant to canker, and produce a fat, wedge-shaped root. <br>Cultivated parsnips developed from the wild parsnip which is found throughout central and southern Europe and it has escaped from cultivation in North and South America, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. In Britain, a wild subspecies lines the roads with yellow flowers, especially in chalky areas in late summer. <br>Parsnips were probably grown as a vegetable by the Greeks and Romans, though there is some confusion whether the references are to parsnips or carrots, or possibly both. They were definately grown in Germany in the mid-sixteenth century and were valued for their sweetness, hardinesss and ability to overwinter in the ground. Their popularity declined as that of the potato increased. The high sugar content of parsnips has been exploited to make wine, jam or a sweet flour used to make cakes.</p>
