Topic: parsnip problems!

[outdoorgirl]

I put some parsnip seeds in,  around about March time (under a cloche). When the weather turned a bit warmer I removed it and since then my parsnips have been growing really well.... A bit too well! They seem very tall and most of them have now got flowers on. Is this normal or have they gone to seed? What have I done wrong? I followed the instructions on the seed packet (T&M seeds).  :-\

[manicscousers]

hi, outdoor girl, welcome to the site
sounds like they've gone to seed, I'm afraid, are they too close or too dry, sorry I can't be of more help  :(

[outdoorgirl]

Thanks for the welcome!  ;D
I guess they are planted quite close. I followed the advice of the great Alan T  :-* and planted lettuce between my parsnips. I will never do this again! I had problems working out which ones were my parsnips and which ones were lettuce (they were unusual leaves!) when they first came up and because of this I have left them. ???

 :-\ I wanted to thin them out for the past couple of weeks but struggled to work out if they were parsnips or not. Next year, I think it's best if I sow them on their own!

[manicscousers]

ours are planted 6 to 8" between, we can take some early and leave some to grow big..never heard of planting lettuce between, radish help mark the rows..still,if you pull up the flowering ones, will that leave some still growing? 

[Amazin]

I've just posted about my parsnip seeds in another thread. I very recentlly started some more seeds off indoors using the damp kitchen towel method as mentioned on previous threads and they've all come up really quickly, so if all else fails there's still time to get another batch going.

[redimp]

I gap filled last weekend - still no sign.  I never sow parsnips early though.  Mid to end of April for me - but I was caught out by the fact that it didn't rain until half term this May.

[outdoorgirl]

Thanks for all your advice!  :)

I will start some more off today on some damp kitchen towel! Glad I'm not too late as I was really looking forward to some roasted parsnips later on this year!

I will definitely sow later next year and  try sowing radishes in-between. Would I still have to sow them under a cloche in April?
 



.....Just put some seeds on damp kitchen towel  ;D
One question ....   where do I put them? In the greenhouse or on a window sill? Our house is quite chilly- it's very old)

Now off to pull up all the 'flowered' parsnips and see what I have left!
(Well might actually leave one to see if I can get any seeds from it and to see what the flowers look like!!)

[posie]

Hello outdoorgirl - I usually do mine on damp kitchen paper, put it in a tupperware box with lid on and then stick it in the airing cupboard, usually start sprouting in about 4 days - then transplant them into toilet rolls filled with earth and plant out when I have 5 minutes!  ;D