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Apart from the leeks, the only other thing growing at the allotment now are three parsnips. I think I made three sowings of parsnips this year, yet all that germinated were these three. I'm hoping that they're growing well under the ground as I really need to make the most of them, having so few. I'd like to have them with Christmas dinner, but I think I'll also buy some from the shop, just in case my own aren't up to much as I'd hate to be without. It wouldn't be Christmas dinner without parsnips.
We've had some severe frosts this week and it's taking quite some time to clear the car windows on a morning. The soil in the containers which my bulbs are planted in has been frozen on more than one occasion, so I was surprised to see some shoots from my Iris Reticulata. They must be tough little things.
The frosts will hopefully be sweetening those 3 parsnips to perfection.
ReplyDeleteI hope there is something under the ground there to sweeten. That's the trouble with root veg, you never know how they've performed until you dig them up.
DeleteMy leeks did quite well this year but I've never managed to get parsnips to germinate. Bet you'll enjoy the 3 you've got :)
ReplyDeleteI've always germinated my parsnips in pots before transferring them to the ground prior to last year, but they germinated well last year so I thought I'd sow direct again this year. I'm sure it's just a blip because of the weather we had at sowing time and I'll try sowing direct again next year.
DeleteYour leeks are bigger than mine! Mine are truly weedy looking, never mind, I'll do better next year (I hope!).
ReplyDeleteYou can't win them all. It would be nice if I could have one decent year with my leeks though.
DeleteI know what you mean about smaller vegetables taking longer to prepare. I've just spent ages chopping carrots, parsnips and lees to make some soup
ReplyDeleteI don't mind preparing veg, it's spuds which I hate peeling.
DeleteMust admit with home grown potatoes I often don't peel just give them a scrub
DeleteI'm the same with home grown, I just give them a wash, but my mum won't eat any skin, they have to be peeled if I'm cooking for her. She doesn't know what's good for her.
DeleteI don't grow them as a plot neighbour always grows lots and says help yourself, so I do! Same with parsnips. I must try growing them one year! Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteIt's nice when plot neighbours share their bounty. You must have a go at growing some one year, if only for the experience.
DeleteI just sowed our leeks in a row and didn't even transplant them. They are of average size and like yours very edible. Last year I transplanted into new larger holes but they were only the size of this year's apart from one that must have had a growth spurt. Funny old season.
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
xx
It has been a funny gardening year. There aren't many things which have performed as expected.
DeleteI have had the same experience with leeks. The small amount I was able to grow was gone in the twinkling of an eye! I think I will leave leeks to the allotment-holders. My parsnips are good though. Had a few already, but there are lots more to come. My family will EXPECT to have some for Christmas Dinner.
ReplyDeleteI think you need to use quite a few leeks for a meal if they don't grow very big, so it probably wouldn't be the best use of space if your short of it. I couldn't imagine Christmas dinner without parsnips.
DeleteMy leeks grew well this year but have suddenly started bolting! Have you ever come across that happening in winter? Needless to say, I've having to take the entire middle bit out of some of my largest leeks to make them edible.
ReplyDeleteI've never come across leeks bolting in winter before, I hope they don't spoil before you get to eat them.
DeleteSmall is beautiful Jo. I am chuckling at the thought of your three parsnips - mind you it's three more than I've got :)
ReplyDeleteSmall is very tasty too. I intend to make the very most of my three parsnips, I've nurtured them all year, so I hope they're fantastic specimens.
DeleteI prefer smaller Leeks, but have gone and entered a giant Leek competition starting Jan 1st!!! I didn't grow any this year (well not since the ones I grew ran out march time) so I'm slightly concerned that my efforts will be pretty dire!! I'm growing Mammoths (just hope they turn out mammoth!)
ReplyDeleteGood luck for the leek competition. I'll be interested to watch your progress, and hope that you manage much bigger specimens than what I produced this year.
DeleteI hope you those parsnips are right for christmas. I always struggle with leeks to the point where i have pretty much given up and will leave it to the experts at the Farmers Markets.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my fingers crossed that the parsnips are growing well under ground, but I'll buy some in too just to be on the safe side. I always make sure that I sow plenty of leeks so that there's lots to go at if they don't grow very big. I've learnt from past experience.
DeleteIts been really cold and hard frost many mornings in Northern Ireland over the past week. This has made it difficult to do much outside. I plan to harvest some leeks this weekend, maybe make soup. I think my leeks are smaller than in years past.
ReplyDeleteI've been cosying up indoors whilst the frost's been about, it's definitely not gardening weather. Let's hope that we both have better luck with our leeks next year.
DeleteMy plot is, in part, under water :( It's just been so wet all year that there's nowhere for the water to drain to. Luckily my winter crops aren't in the water. But being wet isn't doing my soil any good at all.
ReplyDeleteMine's the same. It's probably a blessing that I don't have much in the ground, it would be awful to see it all spoilt.
DeleteWhat's all this talk about leeks being finished! If you sow enough seed there should be at least another three months cropping-right through the winter. I sow my leeks much more densely than recommended and we eat the thinnings from about September. Its amazing how new ones just grow into the spaces -and this does include sunny days from February.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes Musselburgh still is a grand variety!
I usually have a good few months of leeks, even though they may be small. I've learnt to sow plenty to make up for them not growing very big, but I do have to take quite a few at a time. I'm hoping I can coax next year's leeks in to growing a bit bigger for me.
DeleteI think sometimes we forget just how hardy our little plants can be!!
ReplyDeleteI have always been quite successful with my leeks, I start them off in a tray in the greenhouse and transplant them when big enough and have a nice crop growing and still have some cabbages in the ground on the allotment too. They don't look so great now but taste delicious.
I have a good parsnip crop. After a few years of failure I started germinating them in the greenhouse in paper pots and now always have a good crop to harvest.
I also start my leeks off in the greenhouse and transplant them, I really don't know where I'm going wrong, so I'll have to try extra hard next year. I've done the opposite to you with my parsnips. I used to start them off in pots in the greenhouse, but now direct sow. They haven't done very well at all this year.
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