What's eating my parsnip 'tender and true'?

Parsnip 'Tender and True' is most threatened by carrot fly, whose maggots tunnel into roots. Celery leaf miner, parsnip canker (a fungal complex often worsened by pests), and aphids also cause problems. In rural gardens, rabbits and slugs damage emerging seedlings.

Rusty brown tunnels bored through the root by creamy maggots; secondary rotting follows Surround beds with 60 cm tall fine mesh barriers to intercept low-flying females; sow later (late May onward in UK) to dodge the first flight; rotate annually

White blotch mines on leaves; heavy infestation reduces root-filling vigour Remove and destroy mined leaves promptly; cover with insect mesh; destroy crop debris at season's end

Colonies on young foliage cause distortion; less damaging than carrot fly but weaken seedlings Jet of water; insecticidal soap; allow natural predator populations to build

Feeding channels on root surface allow canker pathogens to enter; also damage crowns Iron phosphate pellets; gritty mulch around crowns; maintain weed-free beds to reduce moist hiding spots