Parsnip Pests And Diseases

Parsnips are vulnerable to a number of serious pests and diseases and infestations. Some of these can destroy a whole crop and need a great deal of care and attention.

Carrot root fly is a pest that drills rectangular holes in the parsnips and it will destroy the crop. The tops will go reddish and die away and the parsnips will be poor quality. There are a number of things that can be tried but most should be carried out early in the cycle before the fly becomes established. The crop should be rotated each year, try watering the sowing drill with a Jeyes fluid mixture a couple of weeks before planting. Cover the crop with a fine mesh or even transplant individual carrots so that they protrude through a black plastic mesh to stop the flies jumping. Plant onions or related plants around the parsnips as the flies are put off by the onion smells and they will reduce the problem.

Wireworms can be a problem as they drill holes through the parsnip. There are no cures but the problem usually comes from recently cultivated grass lands and they usually disappear after a year or two.

Canker is a common problem when dark brown patches appear on the parsnip tops. It is caused by an acid soil and the soil should be made alkaline by lime addition or the equivalent and the problem will cease.

Celery Fly can be a problem as the fly eats the eats the leaves and they shrivel and die, they can leave dark coloured lumps on the leaves. Pick off the leaves and destroy them.

Parsnips should be stored in dry sand or the equivalent, they can develop a rotting fungal disease with a white mould developing on the parsnip which roots the root. Good storage will remove the problem. For more details see How To Grow Parsnips

By Richard Allen -