Topic: Parsnips

[LesH]

      Hi      Over the years I've planted parsnips between 29th March and 1st of June.  My best year was 2001 when I grew Suttons White Gem to a weight of 4lbs 2ozs and have a photo, this was planted on the 6th of May straight into my seedbed.
Regards LesH 

[Nigella]

Hi,

I was planning to plant parnips too (yummy), and was wondering about the stone issue - as my newly dug allotment is very stoney.

So I can make some holes fill with compost / sand mix - plant 2-3 seeds per hole? Thin out as they grow ... my parsnips will then be nice and straight?

Can I do this with carrots as well?
 ;)

[Nigella]

p.s any tips on good parsip seeds?  :)

[jammyd]

Hi Nigella, I had a brilliant crop with 'Gladiator' 2 years ago - not such a good crop with 'tender and true' last year (lots of mis-shapen roots) and am trying a new seed called 'Paragon' this year.

james :)

[wardy]

I had success with Gladiator F1 which I totally forgot about and neglected.  My dog found them ages after, and they were beautiful specimens, without slug holes etc

Perhaps the secret of success with them was not disturbing them at all once sown. 

I sowed them at home but gave up on my veg bed as the dog kept walking on it and eating all the labels and burying his biccies in the newly sown seeds so I was amazed when he dug up buried treasure, er sorry, parsnips  ;D

[moonbells]

I've got the opposite at our site. Having never actually grown them before (carrots were hard enough to grow in our soil and I wanted to crack growing those first!) and having received quite a lot of donations from kind fellow allotmenteers, I was able to do a taste test and see which worked best. I tried some small but nicely shaped Gladiator which had very solid cores, and an absolutely massive Tender and True which was just that. So I bought T&T seed. I shall see how it goes...

moonbells

[Nigella]

hmmm yummy can't wait - will try a patch of T&T and Gladiator.

See which do best in my soil.

 :)

[Debs]

Tulip-23

Took your advice and planted my parsnips in loo rolls in my greenhouse.

They are now germinating :D

Also had no luck with carrots but may try pot growing method or crow bar

to make large hole and then fill with compost before sowing.

Shall also try growing courgettes & pumpkins on compost heap ;)

I cannot motivate myself to do assignments when sooooo much to sow ;D
Debs

[TULIP-23]

Debs :)

Thats great to hear over your Parsnips..............mine are'nt doing Anything ??? Will have to try again...thats life

Well Done Debs

[moonbells]

A word of warning about all of you thinking about trying the loo roll method!

I planted mine out today - and the ones that were put in 5 weeks ago are already having their tap root showing out of the bottom of the rolls so I shall no doubt have a few distorted roots!!! The ones sown on the 5th are still ok, fortunately. So the moral is, as soon as they've germinated, plant them out!

moonbells

[TULIP-23]

I believe  Moonbells If you  make a small trench first then line it with sand the roots should be OK......!!

If I'm wrong  8)   Someone will correct this posting and thats fine ;)

Lets know how it all pans out OK!!     Mike

[philcooper]

I planted mine out today - and the ones that were put in 5 weeks ago are already having their tap root showing out of the bottom of the rolls so I shall no doubt have a few distorted roots!!! The ones sown on the 5th are still ok, fortunately. So the moral is, as soon as they've germinated, plant them out!

moonbells

I've tried this and found that, even with the roots well inside the tube, where the compost in the tube met the soil the roots forked , it's the change in consistency as the compost is usually easier to root in. When the tap root meets soil it looks for the easier route and meanders about a bit before heading down

Phil

[Apple Dumpling]

I sowed two rows of parsnips this week, direct into the ground. Must remember next year to sow when it's not windy. I'm expecting parsnips to come up all over the plot ( maybe).

[Debs]

Thanks for the tip Moonbells.

Wonder if sowing into larger tube i.e. kitchen roll, would prevent this...

What experience do others have??

Debs

[busy_lizzie]

Hi Diver, Yes we have some old cut off plastic drain pipes which we started using last year.  As my last post, we placed them in non stony soil (you know what I mean,so they won't fork) and planted two seeds in each circle.

The cut off drain pipe is about 4-5 inches across and six inches long.  I have just been outside and taken a pic of one of them.  Hope it comes out okay and you can see what I mean.  Good luck with them.  :) busy_lizzie