Kitchen Garden Forum

One of our plot holders had parsnips left on his plot that had started to grow and so cleared them out only for his arms to later be covered in painful blisters. After a week his arms are still painful. I just thought a timely reminder about the dangers of some plant sap especially when it comes into contact with skin on a sunny day would be useful.

Parsnips are related to giant hogweed and we all know about how dnagerous that can be.

Apparently carrot and celery sap can have a similar effect. It is also a bad idea to strim in shorts on a sunny day as grass sap can also cause the skin to burn.

Our plot holder isn't the only one to suffer as this article shows http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1306680/Parsnips-gave-blisters-Gardener-covered-sores-brushing-vegetable-leaves.html

Parsnips do this to me, too. The blistering is not painful so much as incandescently itchy, for about a month. I find parsnips completely toxic. I cannot conceive of anyone wanting to eat them. There must be something in my body chemistry that is different from most other people, although I did have a work colleague years ago who was the same. I did used to grow these for the family, though. I weeded them wearing gloves and long sleeves. Carrots and other Umbellifers I'm fine with, even giant hogweed. We are biochemically complex, for sure.