Pasternak - a vegetable undeservedly forgotten, but very useful

About that the parsnip is a vegetable, and not just a great Russian poet, not everyone knows. The plant, despite its usefulness, was undeservedly forgotten.

The birthplace of the parsnip - Altai Territory and the south of the Urals. The heyday of the popularity of this vegetable came in the 12th-17th centuries. In Russia it was used along with turnip as the main food product in the winter. However, with the spread of potatoes, gradually the popularity of parsnip came to naught. Today, very few gardeners grow this vegetable, despite the fact that it has an unusually pleasant spicy taste and is of great benefit to the body.

Beneficial features

According to its medicinal properties parsnip can be compared with ginseng. It contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals and at the same time is a low-calorie product. Therefore, parsnip can be called a dietary product with confidence.

The use of this vegetable helps to improve metabolism, normalize the digestive system, as well as various glands. In addition, parsnip is a vegetable that can improve the functioning of the circulatory system. Due to its diuretic properties, it is effective for the removal of stones, sand and salts from the kidneys. Parshnak is also effective in cases of sleep disorders, a decrease in sexual activity.

It is possible to enumerate endlessly, what problems with health the parsnip can solve. Grass (or rather, leaves), roots and seeds - all these parts of the plant are endowed with healing abilities.

Despite the huge number of useful properties, it should be remembered that there are contraindications that do not allow to use this vegetable. Pasternak should not be used to treat children and the elderly. It should also be remembered that the wild plant is poisonous.

Even such a large list of useful properties and a small number of contraindications did not lead to the prevalence of parsnips among gardeners.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

The low popularity of parsnip can be explained by the fact that it is quite difficult to succeed even at the stage of emergence. The fact is that the seeds of this vegetable retain their germination in just one year.

If we talk about which group the parsnip belongs to, this vegetable can be described as a biennial plant. This means that in the first year of it grows root crops and only on the second - there are seeds that can be harvested and used for sowing.

To obtain high-quality planting material, several root crops should be left to winter. As soon as there is heat, they will begin to grow and give a large bush. Therefore, they should choose a place where they will not interfere. At the beginning of summer umbrellas appear on the parsnip. He blossoms in small yellow flowers. The first seeds are formed about a month later. As they mature for a long time and are extremely uneven, it is best to collect them regularly. To do this, it is sufficient to shake the umbrellas.

By the way, the fruits that have overwintered in the ground can also be used for food. This should be done before the appearance of leaves. This will help replenish the supply of vitamins in the spring.

There are a large number of varieties of parsnip, its fruits can be conical or round. Good grades are distinguished by the following grades: Student, Best of all, Round early, White stork. And the varieties that give round fruits have a lower yield, but they keep up much faster.

Pasternak is a vegetable that has very strong resistance to colds. Therefore, it can be sown early in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up to seven degrees Celsius. The high content of essential oils in seeds leads to the fact that their germination capacity is very low. They germinate only after 10-20 days.

Pasternak loves sunny places. The first two months he grows slowly. Care for parsnips is a timely irrigation and weeding, regular loosening. In sunny weather, the leaves of the parsnip isolated essential oils that are capable of leaving burns on the skin. Therefore, care for him should be carried out in gloves or in cloudy weather. Pasternak is resistant to diseases, however, during the flowering period this culture is often attacked by various insects.

Root crops are harvested in late autumn. For storage it is best to leave solid fruits that have a white-cream color. They are stored in the basement, after drying and cutting off the tops. It is important to remember that it is best to eat medium-sized fruits, since the flesh of large ones can be lignified.

And finally one more interesting fact - parsnip practically does not accumulate nitrates. But this is very important in the modern world!

It is a pity that such a valuable vegetable undeservedly forgotten. There is something to think about and, until it's too late, to acquire and sow such a useful plant!