Topic: Plastic drainpipe for parsnips

[tricia]

I want to try growing parsnips in plastic drainpipe. I have a length available but would like to know into what lengths the pipe should be cut. I'm not looking to grow show parsnips, just reasonable ones for the pot. I'll also be sowing seeds into loo rolls and paper rolls for the garden, so this will be more of an experiment. Also, should I use garden compost or normal potting compost for the drainpipe.

Tricia

[GrannieAnnie]

If you are very successful, and the parsnips grow very big,
how are you going to get them out of the pipe?

[Suzanne]

When showing I think they flush the soil out with a hospipe - but would need to make sure that the corwn of the parsnip hadn't grown so big that they wedged themselves in.  :o

[davyw1]

For show Parsnips and Carrot you use 45 gal drums, old road cones and tubing with a diameter of at least 6". Drain pipe is really to narrow. The mix i use is 2 compost, 1 fine soil and 1 sharp sand,

[saddad]

A cut along the length with a jigsaw will allow you to prise the pipe apart to get at the Parsnip... but I would have thought it was too narrow for all except the new F1's like dagger..
 :-\

[GrannieAnnie]

If you have to break out a hacksaw to free a parsnip...sound more like plumbing than gardening ::)

[RobinOfTheHood]

Soil pipe? 6" wide as opposed to 3".........

My parsnips have never got above about 3" across the shoulder, but maybe I'm just rubbish at it.   ;D

I'll be trying soil pipe this year.

[Tee Gee]

I suppose you could cut along the pipe before sowing, then the pipe will expand with the growth within.

But as Granny says; sound more like plumbing than gardening, so its not for me!

If not using the barrel mode I would use a pre-prepared 'Vee' shaped trench