Parsnip "Dlouhy Bily"

Parsnip "DLOUHY BILY" - Pastinaca sativa L.
High yielding parsnip with a long root and high level of resistance to diseases. The plant has vigorous growth. Its white root is conical, 25-30 cm long, sharply pointed. The variety is excellent for direct consumption as well as for processing, especially drying. Very good storability. Growing period about 200 days from sowing (in Central Europe conditions).

Parsnips are the most valuable dietary product.
Biennial spicy-flavored vegetable plant of the Apiaceae family. Up to 30 cm in height. Cold-resistant, moisture- and light-loving, frost-resistant. Grows well in humus-rich, neutral soils. Sow in early spring in well-lit areas. The seeding rate is 0.4-0.5 g/m2. Planting depth is 1.5-2 cm. Row spacing is 20-30 cm.
Seeds germinate in 3-4 weeks. The seedlings are thinned out, leaving 10-15 cm between plants.
Parsnips grow especially slowly in the first 2 months, so they require careful care: loosening, weeding, watering not often, but abundantly (10 liters of water per 1 m2). On hot days, parsnip leaves emit pungent essential oils that can cause skin burns, so it is better to care for the crops early in the morning or late in the evening. Root crops are harvested late in the fall, but before frost sets in. Store in sand at high humidity and low temperature.

Please note that...
· It has a taste reminiscent of carrots and parsley, but is inferior in aroma to parsley.
· The leaves are coarse, so they are only good for flavoring soups and hot dishes
· The root is used dried and fresh as a seasoning for soups, borscht, fish dishes, for pickling cucumbers and in marinades.
· Parsnips keep well until spring and easily tolerate light frosts. It can overwinter in the ground under cover, and in early spring it can be used as needed.

 
Parsnip. Bot. syn.: Pastinaca fleischmannii Hladnik.