Embarrassing vegetable ID question

[Montanawildlives]

Well, I planted this about six weeks ago in my Montana Garden, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it is. Thanks!

 

[Meadowlark]

We have all done that no reason to be embarrassed.

Looks to me like two different plants the first photo and third photo look like some type of squash or possibly pumpkin. The second photo looks like celery to me.

Does that ring a bell?

 

[DiggersJo]

Kinda all look like celery to me, although the middle is a bit like young fennel/ kohlrabi ?

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

Parsnips

 

[Montanawildlives]

Well, I'm glad it wasn't as obvious as: carrot.

It is all the same plant, that's the weird part. The stalks as they emerge from the soil look like fennel with the overlapping sections rather than individual stalks emerging independently from the root, but it clearly not fennel with the leaf shape.

I don't think I would have planted celery; kohlrabi *maybe* but I don't recall that. I really need to keep better records.

I kind of thought parsnips originally, in fact I thought that was what I put there--but the leaves seem way too big for that (4-5 inches in diameter), although I guess it could be some variety. The overlapping fennel-like stalks also don't seem exactly like parsnips, although maybe as they grow it will start to look more like carrot stalks?

Martin, is your contribution that it is parsnips nearly certain? I could just pull some soil away and see if there is a nice big white root there I guess.

Thanks!

 

[Montanawildlives]

OK, I've looked at a hundred pics of parsnips now and yeah, I think that's it. Thanks everyone!

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

Yes I'm pretty certain, best to wait till frost to harvest unless thinning, but it won't hurt to scrape a little dirt off the top to look at the crown. Oh and you might be aware of contact dermatitis

 

[Montanawildlives]

Woah, I had never heard of that! Kind of a miracle I didn't come down with it I guess; yesterday I was mashing leaves in my hands, sniffing and tasting, etc.--in the sun. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Woah, I had never heard of that! Kind of a miracle I didn't come down with it I guess; yesterday I was mashing leaves in my hands, sniffing and tasting, etc.--in the sun. Thanks for the tip!

I think you would need to have an allergy to something in the leaves. I'm lucky 81 and never shown any allergy to anything, except bee stings, which is pretty universal and wears off after I have had a couple at the beginning of the season.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I've heard it's less a problem in cultivated parsnips, idk

 

[Meadowlark]

I've heard it's less a problem in cultivated parsnips, idk

Interesting.

Parsley is one of those, kind of like celery, that does not like my climate. Hence, I don't grow it and missed the ID. I recently read those black swallowtails like it, so I might grow some early next spring. We get above 80 deg F pretty quickly and it bolts when that happens.

Do know of any high temp tolerant parsley?

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

Do you have queen annes lace? It needs about the same conditions. I will say i never saw parsnips in Kentucky but it's a roadside weed here. Usually that means it needs a more neutral ph. Queen Annes lace does fine in Kentucky though...

You grow carrots, in the winter? Parsnips are quite hardy so if you don't get below freezing you might be able to start them in a month or so and get a full crop in

For us, the parsnips grow a little bit in the spring and slow down in the summer and put on the rest of their size up until frost and then if allowed, bolt in the spring and finish up around now.

I didn't think parsnips would bolt the first year at all being a biennial

They're kinda hard for me to be honest, mostly because they have such poor germination and take so long to germinate. Maybe I'll try stratifying, i have my own seed this year, hopefully it's better

If you meant parsley, i don't know, but i really want to try a rooted parsley, that sounds cool

 

[Meadowlark]

Do you have queen annes lace?

Yes, in abundance.

You grow carrots, in the winter? Parsnips are quite hardy so if you don't get below freezing you might be able to start them in a month or so and get a full crop in

Oh yes, all winter. but my carrots are usually 60 days to maturity...hence I can stagger plant around the Jan. arctic blasts and still have them continuously. Parsnips just never mature for me...at least 130 days and I can't get that without heroic measures kind of like what I had to do to grow celery successfully. And parsnips just don't rate that kind of effort to me.

For us, the parsnips grow a little bit in the spring and slow down in the summer and put on the rest of their size up until frost and then if allowed, bolt in the spring and finish up around now.

I didn't think parsnips would bolt the first year at all being a biennial

They did for me...shot up above 85 deg F.

If you meant parsley, i don't know, but i really want to try a rooted parsley, that sounds cool

Yes, I'm now after Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. radicosum) a root crop with a manageable days to maturity about 75 or so for roots and much less for leaves. Going to try it this fall. Finished with parsnips.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

They did for me...shot up above 85 deg F.

Interesting because they haven't done that for me. I guess they got enough vernalization somehow

 

[Peaches]

Interesting.

Parsley is one of those, kind of like celery, that does not like my climate. Hence, I don't grow it and missed the ID. I recently read those black swallowtails like it, so I might grow some early next spring. We get above 80 deg F pretty quickly and it bolts when that happens.

Do know of any high temp tolerant parsley?

We’ve got the curled leaf parsley ,that stands up to our south Aussie heat quite well
it drops seeds and comes up by the 1000’s in my garden ( lots of tiny ones coming up now)

I’ve never planted Italian parsley but I’ve got 1/2 dozen plants growing in very hot areas like a small crack In the cement path down the side of the house , and there’s even one growing on the outside of the fence in a tiny join between the 3 high concrete sleepers /retaining wall.
So parsley is a fairly forgiving tough plant IMO

When it at its best i pick heaps and after washing / drying with a paper towel, I give the tops a quick whirl in the kitchen whizz , place in plastic bags in freezer …..and just get a bit out as required , frozen parsley crumbles well when you give it a bit of a pinch with your while sprinkling over foods
@Meadowlark