Topic: parsnips

[artichoke]

I pre-germinate mine in the airing cupboard in damp cloth inside a plastic bag. But you have to move them on into soil pretty quickly or the baby tap roots snaps off.

[kitten]

Once they have tiny shoots on, do you plant them with the shoot up or down? I know this is a silly question, but i've never done it before!  ::) x

[saddad]

Dunno but after last year's disaster I want to know too!
 :-\

[cornykev]

Cropped some Parsnips yesterday but gave them away to another lottie who has helped me a lot over the last year or so, I've got so many I don't know what to do with them, bit of a pain really.     ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :-*

[theothermarg]

when i tried the pre-growing methods they were fine until planted out then something ate um  :( :( the holes filled with compost seems good last year i just kept resowing until the row was filled alright in the end more by luck than anything

[HO]

First to SteveJ. We always leave our crop until they have been well frosted but more importantly they are shooting leaves well, usually late March. Something to do with the conversion of starch in the roots to other sugars at that time. Noticeable difference. We then freeze. As to germination, has anybody out there who does not have sandy loam managed to consistently for perhaps five years germinated well? If so please let me know the way as I have grown them for thirty five years and usually get enough to last the year but sometimes have to sow twice because of poor germination. There ought to be be a saying something like "as unreliable as a parsnip".

[Tee Gee]

Well put HO!

[Tinkie_Bear]

I used the stick in the ground method as I have heavy clay, actually I used a broom handle and waggled it arround.  I filled the hole with compost and sand to get a nice light mixture, I then put 3 seeds in each hole - I did not pre germinate.  Not all of them came through but where I had 2 in one hole I pricked them out and to my amazement they took.

Here are the ones I lifted for xmas dinner.  Some were a bit scanky but were fine when peeled.  The biggest was 12" round !! Not bad for a new girl if I say so myself! 

[real food]

Parsnips are the one crop where it is important to use fresh new seed for a good germination.

[cornykev]

Lovely parsnips new girl.    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :P

[glow777]

I would like to grow parsnips like they grew on "grow your own"
eg big 12"+ parsnips that can be extracted (from a position slightly off camera) that require no digging at all to extract and come out of the ground with no soil attached or disturbance to surrounding veg

which is funny cos mine seem to take a lot of digging to get out in one piece

[Laney]

Thanks for all the great ideas!  Parsnips are my favourite veg so I have to give them a go this year.  I'm going to try the stick in the ground trick I think.

[urbandruid]

Up until late year I was convinced that I hated parsnips.  I tried them roasted with xmas dinner at mum's and I was instantly converted!  They smell wonderful when peeled and have an amazing taste.  I've missed out on so many parsnips all this time!

Gonna pre-germinate (see blog) and try the big hole method once I'm sure there's not going to be a frost.
 :)

[kitten]

Gonna pre-germinate and try the big hole method once I'm sure there's not going to be a frost.
 :)

Me too!  I've never grown them before but 'snips were at the top of my list as we all love 'em, so after having read the advice on this forum i'm going to try this wiggling stick method and pre-germinating too.  x

[sweet-pea]

I'd never have thought of pre-germinating carrots.  Last year was my best year so far with carrote, but still not that great a crop, so I think I'll give the pre-germination a go this year.

As for which way up you put the germinated seed in, I'd put it in with the shoot downwards as I'm pretty sure the root emerges first.  Although I recon it probably doesn't matter too much as gravity will probably make sure things grow in the right direction.

SP xx

[cornykev]

Same with me Urban only recently tried them roasted and loved them :P. Glow 777 weren't they lovely parsnips ;), I  dig them up they look massive :o untill you scrape off all the caked in surrounding mud and ooh half the size ???, my parsnips did very well but no where near as big as Tescos sorry I meant Mrs Kleins.    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D