Topic: Why's and why nots about Parsnip varieties

[Jeannine]

Can anyone fill me in about the good/bad points about parsnips please. The only names I know are

Gladiator
Hollow Crown
Javelin
Tender and True
Dagger

I am sure there are more and would like to know why people pick one over the other.

Thank you Jeannine

[cleo]

you ask easy questions don`t you(not) ;D

Some F1 varieties are said to be more resistant to canker-the brown discolouration around the top. Others are said to be `sweeter`-parsnips can taste quite strong. Personally I like my snips with a bit of taste same as I like my sprouts

[redimp]

I grow White Gem because my soil cannot cope with anything too long and they are stumpier.  They taste good and have a great texture too so that helps.

[Jeannine]

Cleo, got to keep you on your toes!!!

Stumpy ones sound good , I will remember White Gem ,Thank you RC

XX Jeannine

[Trevor_D]

I've generally stuck with Hollow Crown (which my father grew) and Tender & True. Have also grown The Student a couple of times, but germination was very poor so I haven't bothered since.

Last year I grew Countess and was quite impressed. (Except as I couldn't get to the plot enough - we had builders in, adding an extension! - I didn't thin them properly. But they were fairly long & straight and tasty as well. Am growing them again this year, except they are being very slow at the moment.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I sowed a row of Tender and True this year, with seed from one of the swaps. Only two germinated ??? so I can't help. Had great germination from 2 rows of White Gem sown at the same time, biut this is the first time i've grown them so can't say anything about them either

[kitten]

We've chosen tender & true for our first attempt at snips, cos it's an older variety and is supposed to have a good flavour - i likes my parsnips to taste nice  ;)  Not that any of the seed has made it into the ground yet... ::)

[veggie lover]

I have sown gladiator and had a good germination rate ;D! ddon't know what they taste like though ???

[Tora]

I'm growing Avonresister this year. I sowed very old seeds bought in 2002 and had around 70% germination!

According to catalogues and websites, Avonresister is supposed to be by far the most canker resistent variety. It's a shorter-rooted variety as well, making it suitable for heavy soil!  :)

[adrianhumph]

 Hi all,
            I have sown avonresister too, but I have had only 25% (approx ) that have germinated. This is after they were pre chitted on damp kitchen paper as previously suggested in an old thread. Maybe the ground was too dry in April? I  sowed some more last week, lets hope this rain helps  :D In the past I have always sowed a variety from Dobies that came pre chitted (heat treated some how) These were brilliant 100% germination every time, so guess what , Dobies have stopped selling them.  >:(
                                 Adrian.

[saddad]

Parsnips were only improved from wild roots in Victorian times Jeannine... The Student was the first... then there was a spurt of varieties like hollow crown and tender and true... the F1's have only been around for about 5 years and are generally smaller like bayonette for supermarket packaging...
 ;D

[kt.]

According to catalogues and websites, Avonresister is supposed to be by far the most canker resistant variety.

I agree with Tora. As this my first attempt at parsnips, I chose Avon Resister for reasons listed and also because they are a short early maturing variety growing up to about 5". I chose Tender & True because they are a longer variety & mature later into the winter. Hopefully to spread my harvest.

[davyw1]

Parsnips love em or hate em. I love them on my dinner plate but hate trying to germinate them. As for what types i grow i don,t really care apart from my show parsnips then i use Gladiator and Tender and true which i grew to 43" last year.
For eating i take every old packet of seed i have left mix them all together and plant them. I am afraid my taste buds are not good enough to tell the difference in the flavor. This year i seem to have got good germination.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r111/stumpinsci/Picture068.jpg

[Tinkie_Bear]

I grew Hollow Crown last year and was very pleased with the results - massive snips that tasted great, I admit they were not very pretty (some were d**n ugly if truth be known).  Wierd thing about germination - I know you are supposed to get new seed every year but this is my 3rd year with the same seeds I have had no problems - maybe hollow crown seeds live longer?

This is the first one I grew, 2005


These are the 2006 efforts


This year we are growing Gladiator, White Gem and more Hollow Crown - all have germinated and the Gladiator are the biggest so far ....

Helen 

[Beanzie]

I tried a variety called Archer last year. Decent size, but a bit of canker.

[David R]

have always grown avonresistor and can thoroughly recommend it. I left a few to go to seed last year and the plot was covered in thousands of parsnip seedlings by autumn - i had to remove them but wonder what they would have turned into had i left them to grow through the winter

[BAK]

White Gem, Gladiator, Tender & True and Albion.

In general, looking for a canker-resistant variety .. but have not found one yet (despite what some of the marketing blurp may say).

Another plot holder avoids canker by sowing at the beginning of the year for late summer use .. but we want them over the winter.

[jonny211]

Last year I grew Tender & True (from realseeds.co.uk) next to Gladiator (which I think was an F1 variety from b&Q). Tender & True produced some very oddly shaped 'snips but seemd to resist the brown rot thing at the tops a little more than Gladiator. They all tasted nice however!

[antipodes]

Does anyone grow a variety called a Guernesey demi-long? That was the only one I could get in France. The first lot didn't work, only two seedling! But my second attempt seems to have germinated more successfully.

[norfolklass]

trying for the first time: Gladiator F1, Tender and True, Hollow Crown.
unfortunately, due to a labelling mishap, I've got no idea which are which ::)