Topic: Parsnips...is it still too cold?

[supersprout]

Hi Derbex, about 3 months ago someone posted excellent pix of carrots that doubled back in the loo roll when they hit clay, like you describe. Eeew! :P
I'm going to drill holes this year and plant parsnips in the top of a cone of sand/compost, as advocated by MikeB and Curry, once I have built a patent Parsnip Planter.
I also have scorzonera started in loo rolls - to encourage long roots like moonbells say - and will plant these in builders bags of compost (spent hops, coffee grounds with added FB&B). Have only had this plot 11 months so still experimenting :D

[fbgrifter]

i sowed mine last week in the high peak, but the seeds were pre-chitted

[supersprout]

the seeds were pre-chitted

Was it you that did the pre-chitting fb? And if so, can you describe method please ::) :D?

[delboy]

I've gone for a series of different approaches, but with the loo rolls I have first used a crowbar to develop a conical hole, then thrown in a mix of sand and earth.

Loo roll goes fully into ground and earth is pushed back to firm up loo rolls in what were the conical holes. Seemed to me the only way to stop the darned critters turing round and giving up when they realised my plot was mainly clay...

[fbgrifter]

yes i pre-chitted them.  simply got a water tight container (in my case a plastic chinese take-away dish) place a sheet of kitchen roll in it, folding it if necessary.  put in the pack of seeds (or maybe just half the pack) and add about 1/2 cm of water and keep on the windowsill or wherever.  make sure they don't dry out and they should germinate in 2-3 wks.  when then have a tiny white root just poking out of the seed case they are ready to plant out.  they are a bit fiddly when planting and the damp seed sticks to your finger.  my neighbour uses his wifes tweezers to do this but i find my dainty little digits cope just fine (!)

[fbgrifter]

i also pre-chit peas with 100% success and none of that guttering faffing (but you don't need the kitchen towel for peas)

[grawrc]

I quite like the guttering. i can put 4 or 5 lengths on the worktop in the potting shed and then just slide them into the ground when they're ready. It's so effortless.

[derbex]

I sowed mine yesterday under bottle cloches -last time I did this I got huge parsnips. I'll probably sow more in a couple of weeks.

[supersprout]

i also pre-chit peas with 100% success and none of that guttering faffing (but you don't need the kitchen towel for peas)

I used your sprouting method for my peas sown two weeks ago fb, thank you :D

added Sunday: have started chitting red and yellow beet and parsnip too!

[telboy]

I can't believe that any successful germination is happening outside at the moment with the weather. In Oxfordshire today it snowed most of the afternoon!
The only veg. I have planted so far is onions, & I am pleased I've held back.
The spuds must go in soon as they are shrinking like my b****cks!