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Storage of Parsnips

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  No I don't want to leave them in the ground - well not all of them anyway.....
  
  Those with the knowledge say "Store in dry sand, coir or dry peat". I have none of those, but I do have a 'gurt big bag' of oak sawdust and chippings (which I 'obtained' for use in my fish smoker). Will those do the same job? Cheers, Tony.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by pinxit (U14558922) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  Not sure about this, Tony, but most hardwoods and conifers from our climate have quite a lot of tannin in them. I wonder if this might affect the flavour and colour of your parsnips, making them go brownish, possibly bitter? I use oak and other wood, bark, sawdust, etc. as a natural dyestuff and it certainly tints wool. Also, withies for basketmaking are preserved by "boiling them in their own juice" which is high in tannin, thus producing the characteristic pinky-brown colour of basket willow. Of course, both the wool and willow processes involve moisture and heat, so if both your sawdust and parsnips are dry, it might be OK. But most storage methods (like leaving them in the ground or in a clamp) involve moisture.
  
  Is it worth trying just a few for this year? Though of course that leaves you with the problem of what to do with the rest of your crop... Maybe someone else has more useful info! (Where's Bob Flowerdew when you need him?!)

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  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  They are supposed to be of superior flavour when they have been subjected to a frost, so it is a bit early to dig them up yet. The sawdust method, I'm not sure about. Sounds a bit drying. Can you not store them in old grow-bag material or some of the soil in which you grew them, in boxes. Maybe one of your neighbours would have something suitable you could barter.

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  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  A couple very informative answers, thank you indeed.
  
  What made me think was an article in the Kitchen Garden mag' about "Burying popular parsnip myths" ! ! ! ! where it says frosting parsnips for better flavour is a myth!
  
  I'll carry out a trial in sawdust this year and let you know the outcome. Cheers, Tony.

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  Posted by greensward (U14347965) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  It is not a myth, it seems to be the trend for modern gardeners to call old, proven garden ways myths. No doubt a few are but many are not. The reason parsnips taste sweeter after being frosted is because frost turns the starch into sugars, the same applies to brussels sprouts. I always left parsnips in the ground all winter even in the hardest of frosts, it never harmed them.

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  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  Good news! I have found a quantity of dry earth/peat in a corner of the greenhouse where the watering system didn't reach. I'll still try the sawdut/woodchip experiment. (and I'll leave some in the ground, we have dozens)!Cheers, Tony.

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  Posted by farmerSteve (U2644680) on Thursday, 30th September 2010

  Parsnips can be stored like carrots in sand buut the flavour is certainly not improved and I would sooner leave them in the ground if possible Parsnips certainly improved OP says due to the starches turning to sugar
  I have never found brussels improve no matter how long you leave them so best chuck them on the compost heap before you start

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• Message 8

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  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Saturday, 2nd October 2010

  This months Which Gardening magazine says they have proven in their trials Parsnips taste better after a good frosting and to leave them in the ground till required?
  
  Admittedly I did read that in KG too though but I would imagine Which to have more thorough trials before printing the information.
  
  For lack of good storage space, I'll be leaving mine in the soil

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