Topic: temperature for leek and parsnip germination

[aquilegia]

what temperature do leeks and parsnips need to germinate?

I had them on my calendar to sow this week, but I've a feeling it'll probably be too cold! ;)

Is there a good website that lists germination temperatures? I need to get more scientific with my slapdash gardening!

[Dunc_n_Tricia]

Parsnips take forever to germinate anyway. If the packet says now is the time, you can trust it.

I grew parsnips for the first time last year, and the seeds went in in April (about 1 week after we got our allotment!) and didn't see anything until about June. They then grew at a fair old pace.

We still have about 10-12 left. Thought we had missed about 3-4 when the foliage died off around Christmas, but new shoots were spotted a couple of weeks ago. Dug these up, and boy do they taste good!

 :-* Tricia

[The gardener]

There are quite a number of germination temperatures on my website...........too many to name here so call into;  

[tim]

Just time to get this in before we go off the air? Hence the poor focus - sorry!

OK - who said PARSNIPS?


 = Tim

[gavin]

Was it Hugh, who came up with  ". . . but the second mouse gets the cheese?"

I've found parsnips sown according to the packet and the books to be very patchy - poor germination, and I haven't tried leeks this early.

Sowing just a bit later, once the soil's a bit warmer?  Gut feeling that later sowings romp away, and soon catch up with early sowings, which have had a couple of frost checks?

No science in there whatsoever - just bone idleness, and a liking for a warm fire!

Idle, but warm - Gavin

Ebagum - forgot the "Yorkshire bare-arse" test;  if you can bare your bum and sit on the soil, it's warm enough to sow.  Pity, though - you also get locked up!

[ina]

There are quite a number of germination temperatures on my website...........too many to name here so call into;  

Will you give the address again Gardener, so I can put it in my favorites, please?

[aquilegia]

Ebagum - forgot the "Yorkshire bare-arse" test;  if you can bare your bum and sit on the soil, it's warm enough to sow.  Pity, though - you also get locked up!

;D ;D ;D Definitely not at the moment. It'd get frosty!

I shall just have to learn to be more patient.

Tim - mmmm - parsnip crisps. they look so yummy!

[traceym]

I sowed leeks outside in a coldframe on the 9th feb germination started on the 15th,although with the extreme cold this past week,growth seems to have come to a stop they still look quite healthy.
Parsnips were sown the same way in peat pots on the 18th,nothing yet,but as has been said before even in the warmth they take a while.

[The gardener]

Click on the little world disc under my logo and this should take you to my website.

Failing that it is at;

http://www. thegardenersalmanac.co.uk

[ina]

Thanks Gardener.