Author Topic: New member and parsnips (Read 3796 times)

Bjerreby · « **on:** February 08, 2009, 11:18:22 »

Hello everyone. I’ve visited this forum a few times as a guest, and thought it is about time I joined in. I’m in Denmark, where they have slightly different gardening traditions to those at home in the UK.

I am establishing a kitchen garden round my house, and as I am inexperienced, I'd like some advice on when to plant our parsnips. I have seen your fine ideas about germinating in Tupperware boxes and using loo rolls, but just when do you plant out parsnips? The climate here is like North Yorkshire or Northumberland.

saddad · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:23:23 »

Welcome to the site Bjerreby,
How long is a piece of string???
I wait until the end of March before I sow mine... later if putting straight into the soil. If you are very near the west coast you might get away with earlier say Mid-March... ? :-\

Bjerreby · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:25:58 »

Thanks for that saddad. I am on the islands between Jutland and Sweden. It is warmer here than in the UK right now. I'll curb my impatience and wait till late March before sowing.

manicscousers · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:33:30 »

Hiya, Bjerreby, nice to meet you, I've started chitting some but they will be going in under cover.

Bjerreby · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:42:15 »

Heya manicscousers. I read that parsnips take anything between 10 and 28 days to germinate. What is your experience with that?

flossy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:44:18 »

   Hi Bjerreby, nice to meet you , ;D

   March sounds pretty good for where you are too. As they are long rooted
   they need a good composted soil to allow for growth, a heave stony soil wil not give
   give them the best chance.

   I sow straight into the ground, seeds well spread in rows for easier lifting when ready -
   I don't thin out at all, seems to be OK.

   floss x

Bjerreby · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:54:48 »

Heya flossy. Because we have very heavy clay here I have dug all my new beds 2 spades deep and incorporated lots of the local seaweed. That was last spring, and since I just grown a bit of lettuce there, with good results.

You mention compost. I read parsnips don't like the ground with compost added recently. Have you any thoughts on that? If I sow parsnips in loo rolls, can I stuff compost in the rools or is simple soil better?

Froglegs · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2009, 11:58:39 »

Hi, Bjerreby

Last year i put Gladiator straight in the ground round about March the 20Th, 3 seeds every 4-5inch,i find this helps when you come to thin them out.And no need for loo rolls. ;D

flossy · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2009, 12:04:08 »

Sorry, meant to say well rotted compost or even bagged stuff, :D

What you have already sounds pretty good to me.

floss x

Sparkly · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2009, 12:05:56 »

Ours were planted out mid april (Manchester) last year without cover. These had been pre-chitted and planted in loos rolls. We started the process about mid-end feb.

manicscousers · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2009, 15:56:26 »

Quote from: Bjerreby on February 08, 2009, 11:42:15

Heya manicscousers. I read that parsnips take anything between 10 and 28 days to germinate. What is your experience with that?

ours take between 7 and 14 days in the warm, I often leave the rest and more sprout :)

nilly71 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2009, 19:42:35 »

Welcome to the site :)

Sorry i can't help you as this will be my first year growing.

Neil

tonybloke · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2009, 21:01:45 »

Wotcha Bjerreeby!! welcome to the site, have fun in your gardening. rgds, tony ;)

Plot69 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2009, 21:40:12 »

I was hoping to get a couple of rows sown this week, same time as last year. I don't mind scraping a bit of frost off the ground but it's snowing as hard as ever again outside.

terrier · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2009, 21:54:44 »

Hi Bjerreby, if you want to sow straight into the ground in heavy clay, try dibbing a hole, say 8" deep, infill with good compost and sow into that. It would be good to hear of the different gardening traditions you experience in Denmark :)

star · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2009, 23:27:28 »

Hi and welcome Bj ;D

I was going to say wot Terrier said also compost is good, its manure they dont like ;)

Bjerreby · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:45:21 »

Thanks for all those kind responses. I was particularly interested to read it is fresh manure I should avoid.

Concerning gardening traditions in Denmark, they have a thing called "kolonihaver" which is very similar to our allotments, except it is all much more prissy, you know, clean curtains in their shed, and everyone has gravel paths with deep rake marks all going in the same direction. The emphasis in a Danish allotment is as much about solidarity with the allotment club and socializing as growing fruit and vegetables.

Kitchen gardens are now rather a rarity in Denmark. I live in a hamlet of maybe 200 houses, and as far as I can tell, there are just 2 of us who grow our own. My neighours can't understand why I don't simply buy stuff from the local co-op.

Froglegs · « **Reply #17 on:** February 09, 2009, 11:15:54 »

Quote from: Bjerreby on February 09, 2009, 05:45:21

you know, clean curtains in their shed

Unlike Star you see the state of her nets. ;) ;D

It would been nice see some pictures of where you live and of a kolonihaver,any chance you could post a few i for one would like to see them.

Bjerreby · « **Reply #18 on:** February 09, 2009, 11:33:36 »

Here's a link to "The Association of Danish Allotment Users".

http://www.kolonihave.dk/

I'm afraid it's in Danish, but the photos on the home page say it all; flags, park benches...... :-[

By the way, I just noticed their home page has a link to a thing called "Tillidsmandskurser". You'll think this odd, but "tillidsmand" is a shop steward, and "tillidsmandskurser" are courses for shop stewards. Now, I think trade unions ave a place in the world................but NOT down the allotment!

thifasmom · « **Reply #19 on:** February 09, 2009, 11:42:00 »

so these are not necessary places to grow food but like a regular garden for those that don't have garden ??? is that it??

News:

Author Topic: New member and parsnips (Read 3796 times)