Parsnip
From Allotments4All
Planting
For anyone who's had problems - like me last year - with parsnips either not growing very large, or growing like alien multi-legged tennis balls (!!), I suggest you try what I did this year:
Get a big stake or fence post Chanfer off the corners to give you a reasonable point Push about 12"-15" into the ground, twist a bit, then pull out Fill hole with bagged compopst mixed about 3 parts compost to 2 parts sand Sow two seeds on the top of the compost/sand mix Make the next hole aobut 6" away from the edge of the first. Repeat. Cover the whole lot with a very thin sprinkling of more compost and sand mix
When they germinate, remove the weakest looking seedling (if both germinate)
I did this for the first time this year - to much ridicule from one of my fellow plot holders - and also sowed another lot as normal, in the same raised bed or well sifted soil.
Results?
The parsnips sown in the dibbed holes we universally long, straight and nearly all a decent size (about 10" to 12" long, about 2" to 3" across at the top.
The others grew well, but several are small and stunted, several have multiple appendages, and none are as big as the other lot.
All were Tender & True.
