Topic: parsnips

[Tulipa]

Ooooh you all make me feel so much better!  I was thinking it was just me and was very down but each time I come on here and read more about parsmips not germinating I feel better.  It hasn't happened before.  It's like the butternut squashes last year!

Roy what did you do? Please tell us your secret! :)

T.

[MikeB]

Sowed my seed in toilet rolls in the greenhouse, had nearly 100% germination, I then planted the parsnips complete with toilet roll outside.

[dingerbell]

I followed the packet but dug cones into my rocky, heavy soil and planted 3 seeds per station. They ALL germinated, so not being one to waste anything, I replanted the thinnings and guess what ?? they nearly all took... ;D I'm planting some more now as I love Parsnips to pieces...Roasted, Fried, pureed, souped, mashed...yummie ;D

[katynewbie]

 ::)

Am all behind, as usual, and have sowed half a row of Tender and True. 10 stations, with compost in a hole, 3 seeds per station. If this works it will be a miracle!!

We will see....

 ;)

[Roy Bham UK]

what variety are you growing roy???

I think there are two varieties in one bed but can’t remember what they are, I usually keep the empty packets but those have disappeared, if I find them I'll let you know. ;)

...only been sowing parsnips for two years and had a bumper crop ??? what am I doing right? ???

How deeply do you sow them Roy? What is the soil like? and do you water when sowing, and if so how often?

I normally drag a shallow drill through my clay soil with a rake and in weather like this water the drill sprinkle seeds then sprinkle about an inch of compost over the drills, then with the rake gently pat the compost down to around ½ an inch then water again with a rose tip watering can.

The soil is on the acid side, I know this as my neighbour had a gadget to test the soil and tested mine recently, I water all my seed drills regularly on dry days even after a leaf show.

Last year (my first year) I sowed parsnip seed on virgin soil (3-4 years untouched no muck) and had a full crop, the other half sowed carrot seeds (no muck) full crop.




This year albeit much later I sowed parsnip seed in full bed of well manured soil from previous year of growing sprouts and they are now looking great.
The mobile phone piccy below was taken nearly a fortnight ago, they are now about 11" high ;D

[Mrs Ava]

ooo Roy, well manured parsnip bed...you might (and I say might) end up with parsnips all wonky and forked.  You tend not to grow roots on manured ground as the high levels of nitrogen I think, affect the root hairs and cause the snips to stop and fork.

[Roy Bham UK]

I'm talking last years manured ground not this years, I thought that was OK ??? Please say yes ;D

[Mrs Ava]

aha, I reakon that should be fine and dandy!  ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

what variety are you growing roy???

I found a label Olive ;D half the bed is sown with "Tender and True" from Johnsons ;D still can't find the remainder but still looking ;)

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Just wanted to add that the T&T parsnips I sowed on July 15th are showing signs of having germinated! A few tentative seedlings are showing their faces!

Result!

 ;)

[prink13]

I've planted parsnips 3 times this year, nothing, not a single shoot came through, the ladt lot of seeds were planted approx. 5 weeks ago............................still nothing! So I decided to abandon the idea of fresh parsnips straight out the garden...................then Superspout gave me some leeklets to plant, Mmmmmm - I know, I'll put them where those pesky parsnip shoots were supposed to me, planted the leeklets..................................................wait.............................you guessed it................................less than a week later, 30 - 40 little parsnip shoots coming up between all the leeks!

Not sure if any will survive, or ifthere will be enough room in the bed, but we'll see :-\

[grawrc]

I've just discovered this thread and am seriously concerned! :o :o :o :o
I sowed my parsnip about 4 months ago!!!

Do you mean I could have done them every 2 weeks like lettuce up till now? ::) ::) ::) ::) :'(

[Curryandchips]

I planted all mine at the end of March grawrc, believing that by having a decent growing time, they will be a hefty size when I lift them ...  ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's my theory as well, but I gave up after three sowings and hardly any germination.

[grawrc]

Thank you Derek and Robert: mine are doing Ok so I can probably relax?

[Rosyred]

I sowed my parsnips 6th May but they are only a hand high with leaves is that due to lack of water do you think? I wonder when they will be ready ?

[rdm51]

Hi All.
 An old exhibitors trick was to germinate parsnip seed in damp blotting paper nearly 100% every time. damp the blotting paper put in a clear poly bag, seal the bag then check after a couple of weeks as soon as signs of a root plant where it is going to grow, used to grow mine in a 45 gallon drum the drum was filled with silver sand and the bore hole was made up of sieved peat, sand and hoof and horn,
 Used to use the same mix for the long carrots.
 word of caution don't leave seed in the blotting paper to long after signs of root or rot well set in.
 Hope this helps.

[supersprout]

Great tip rdm, sounds like your parsnips would be stonkers! :o

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'll try that next year, combined with fleece.