Parsnips in tubes

[ALAN HOWELL]

Hi all,

has anyone actually had success starting Parsnips in tubes and transplanting?

  Alan

[asbean]

Yep! Done it the last couple of years, I sow three seeds per tube, and pull out the weakest when they are established.  Then transplant, tube and all when big enough.

For me it's been more successful than sowing direct. 

[plot51A]

Yep, I've done it in the past too and it was successful but you do have to watch that tap root and not hang about too much.  But unlike Asbean still prefer to sow direct - station sow, 3 seeds per station, interplant with small lettuce such as Little Gem or Tom Thumb (don't like radishes). Never had a problem - except last year when I somehow muddled up my seed packets and sowed beetroot instead  . Still got some really good parsnips from an early May sowing.

[adrianhumph]

Hi there,
             Yes it certainly works for me, i had some first class snips this season, from Kings Seeds, it is one they have bred themselves called White King. They are the best I have ever grown, a good size, very tasty & virtually no canker.
 My own thoughts on why people have problems with snips is that they sow them far too early, first week of April is plenty soon enough, why people bung them in now I shall never understand Of course they won`t germinate, the GROUNDS TOO COLD
                                                    Adrian.
                                                       

[Chrispy]

The reason why people plant so early is that is what it says on the packet, every packet of nips I have ever bought say sow Feb-Apr, and I made this mistake the first year.

I don't know who writes these instructions, I got a (Free) carrot seed tape from T&M, the instructions on them says 'Sow Thinly' It's a seed tape!, what is this meant to mean.

AW, this year for my nips, I am going to try dibbing holes, filling them with MP compost and sowing a few seeds in this, see how that goes, anybody else done this?

[Tulipa]

Chrispy I have tried the multi purpose compost in holes, but you need to make sure you keep them watered as some composts dry out too quickly and the seedlings die.

I usually germinate the seeds on kitchen roll and as soon as the root shows pop them in a loo roll tube and grow them on and plant out before the root reaches the bottom of the loo roll, it works well for me.

I think it is a case of finding what works for you, there are several different ways, mine is an amalgamation of two because parsnips are my favourite veg.

[kippers garden]

I thought about growing in tubes this year but i now have a question...how soon after you see the seed germinating do you need to plant the tubes? 

[chriscross1966]

That reminds me of another thing I intended to do this weekend.... get some parsnip started in tubes...... or at least start some in a bag to chit (ditto carrots adn celeriac, and parsely come to think of it)..... arggh.... adn I'm moving soon..... and I'm away over easter,.....

argh....

chrisc

[worldor]

I have bought new seeds this year for my parsnips but had a packet from last year too. I have put a few of last years on damp kitchen roll to see if they chit. Might as well try them rather than dump them. The new ones will be going into the ground at the lotty but I am confused as to when to go for it. Last year one of the plot holders was rotorvating and sowing in February when we went down on a quick visit.

[GlentoranMark]

When you say "Tubes", would empty loo rolls be similar?

[chriscross1966]

When you say "Tubes", would empty loo rolls be similar?

Yep.... but you can make your life easier by using kitchen roll tubes..... you get more time before the tap root hits the bottom.... A lot of people roll their own out of newspaper too. I've even seen folks do the complete malarky of start by pre-chitting, bring them on it newspaper tubes and then before they go out they're in 18" lengths of 3" drainpipe..... I think the guy had seen the show growers doing the drainpipe thing and used it cos his ground was prone to flooding in the winter..... menas you don't have to plant them out until they're big proper plants.... and you get perfect spacing etc..... seemed like a lot of faff but i might try it in my new place just as an experiment.... the Stalin Organ of drainpipes could always be used for growing carrots in out of the way of the root fly.... indeed you could use them for raising the parsnips in and after planting them out run a batch of carrots  through them too.... hmm.... maybe not so daft after all.......

chrisc

[GlentoranMark]

Many thanks, I'm the only parsnip eater in the house so I'll get some in in a few weeks time.

[Sparkly]

We had great success with this the year before last. Last year I ended just putting them in because my seed was duff and it after trying to pre-chit 4 packets I gave up, bought some more and put them straight in the ground.

We have just dug up the remainder of this year's crop and they were as good as the toilet roll ones. The main difference for me was sporadic planting distances, which can be controlled with the toilet roll method.

[whinhill]

Last year parsnips grew lot of roots which twined round each other.  Ended up as soup. What went wrong?  Soup was good, though.

[PurpleHeather]

I grow mine in loo roll tubes so that the paper rots when planted.

The weird shaped ones are perfectly all right to eat once chopped up and cooked.

I have been told two reasons why they turn into these alien looking monsters

1. Disturbing the root by when planting them or thinning them.

2. Too rich soil.

It could be a bit of both.

 

[1066]

Thanks to this thread I'm going to ignore the instructions on the seeds packets and sow in april. 1st time at trying to grow them so Thanks 

[RobinOfTheHood]

I've done this for the last 2 years. One or two seeds per loo roll and pop them in the electric propagator until they emerge from the top. Then straight down the lottie and into roughly 12" long pieces of soil pipe filled with compost.
These also go on holes filled with compost so I get approx 18" depth of compost.

The only problem I have is extricating the buggers from the pipes....I think this time I'll do it without the pipes using the scaffold pole and compost method.

The advantage of loo rolls and propagator for me is the guaranteed speedy germination, I reckon you can leave it at least a couple of weeks longer before you sow using this method without losing growing time.

[goodlife]

I found that loo rolls were not long enough, as soon the seed germinated the root was already showing from the bottom and pots needed planting...used bulb planter. I did get good crop of HUGE roots but this year I have used (yesterday) kitchen rolls...

[RobinOfTheHood]

I found that loo rolls were not long enough, as soon the seed germinated the root was already showing from the bottom and pots needed planting...used bulb planter. I did get good crop of HUGE roots but this year I have used (yesterday) kitchen rolls...

Gotta be quick, y'see....and sow them shallow. 

[Digeroo]

I chit mine on kitchen roll and then plant direct.  All this tube bit is a lot of bother, I reserve my tubes for dahlia seeds.  I put parsnip seeds on damp kitchen paper on a plate and put the plate into a plastic bag on a north window sill.  In a few days there is a huge percentage germination, and once you see the first sign of a root I sow direct about two inches apart.  Yes you are right knowing me its probably only an inch and a half.  I ahve taken to staggering the seedling so each one has a bit more space, so they go in a zig zag pattern.

I have read that if you can delay sowing parsnips until the soil is warmer then there is less canker and I have to admit that I have not had much problem recently.

But I am not aiming for prize roots and do not like them huge.  I had a good crop of supermarket sized roots.  I did not plant them until beginning of april though put them to chit about 10 days earlier.  So this year I am aiming for 21-22 March. 

Someone gave me one they have given a lot of manure and it looked like some kind of alien, I am sure it was an extra on Dr Who.