Topic: Parsnips

[ACE]

I have heard, but never tried some weird and wonderful ways of ensuring germination. I can't stand the things myself but SWMBO loves them and has given me a packet of seed to grow some for her. On my last lottie I used to just chuck them in the ground and take pot luck. But this new allotment is smaller so I don't want to waste space. Are there any tried and tested methods that have actually worked out there. I rather fancy the germination on a wet paper towel in the airing cupboard, then only planting out the seed that has started. Tedious I know but at least I will get full row at harvest time. Has anybody tried that way, what were the results?

[Digeroo]

I have done it often, and they all germinate.  Not sure about the airing cupboard, prefer a cool windowsill.  I use a north facing one.  They do not need heat but  they like light for germination.   I would suggest kitchen roll so you can tear bits off.  Plant out with the paper on top.  I sow on surface and cover container with cling film to stop them drying out.  It does not take long, after about 10 days they are probably ready, plant outside at the first sign of a root.  I find it is best if roots do not get more than a couple of mm.   It is a bit like watching a kettle boil.  Nothing happens so you get tired of looking and next moment the roots are too long.

I then use a pointed knife to carefully lift each seedling, the roots break very easily. 

Otherwise I prefer surface sowing on a line of potting compost the cheaper the better, some old stuff from last year will do fine.  Once the plants get going well then they can be earthed up.  I start Feb then you get spaces in the rows you can do a later sowing between the plants. 

There is also a method using toilet rolls inners.  Or newspaper planters.

[Digeroo]

PS You need fresh seed,

Actually the way to ensure good germination of parsnips is to scatter them as soon as they drop dried from the seed head at the beginning of Autumn.  The you will get millions.   Not sure why the entire place is not covered with parsnips. I think you get 110% germination!!  This is not the best time for getting the best roots as they can go to seed without producing anything.

[bridbod]

I use pretty much the same method as Digeroo (on wet kitchen or loo roll inside a tupperware box) but put them in a heated propagator on a low temperature setting. Didn't know they like light for germination, but my propagator is on a windowledge anyway.They obviously wouldn't get any light in an airing cupboard.
After about 10 days I watch em like a hawk for the first signs of a root, then use fine tweezers to move them into sieved compost in small peat pots with their bases cut off. (loo roll inners work but always go mouldy on the outside from my experience) Its a delicate operation since those tiny roots are soooo fragile and once the root is damaged then its game over for that seedling. I put the lightest  sieving of compost over them.
I read somewhere that the seedling sends out a long tap root so I keep an eye on the bottom of the pot and try to harden off then plant out outside before it shows.
Faffy, but ensures a complete row of healthy plants off to a flying start.

[bridbod]

Actually just done a germination test of last years parsnip seeds using the method above and got an surprisingly good number to germinate. The seeds have been kept in a tupperware box in the fridge since purchase about this time last year.
Since I only want about 30 roots and the pack contains about 500 seeds, it seemed such a waste to throw away most of the packet. Just wondering if the seeds that have just germinated would produce strong seedlings/plants (Gladiator F1) or am I wasting my time.

[kGarden]

Since I only want about 30 roots and the pack contains about 500 seeds, it seemed such a waste to throw away most of the packet. Just wondering if the seeds that have just germinated would produce strong seedlings/plants (Gladiator F1) or am I wasting my time.

I think that if they germinate readily (don't take too long, and a decent number germinate) then its fine to use them.  I think they tend to germinate just-fine in Year 2 on damp Kitchen paper - but by comparison if you chuck the seed outside in cold, wet, clay then the germination may fall off sharply, which is perhaps where the "one year only" viability comes from.

I germinate on damp kitchen paper, in a sealed container (Tupperware or cling-film cover) so it doesn't dry out, and then transfer to tall (5" at least, 2" diameter is plenty) pots made from Newspaper, so that they can be planted "whole" without root disturbance. With that depth I am safe to plant out any time up until the moment that the first true leaf appears. Using something shorter, like a loo-roll, means they need to be planted sooner - e.g. as soon as the seed leaves appear, although then there is little/no time for hardening off!  I start hardening off once the seed leaves appear and then plant after a week or 10 days, by which time true leaves may be appearing / about to appear.

People say they just sow Parsnips and they are fine - that's great!, no sense making the job harder / adding "Faff" if that works for you, but for me on heavy clay I cannot get on the soil anything like early enough to sow outside, and I tend to get lots of forking roots, whereas with this method I at least get the first 5", which was in the pot, of a perfect root, and the planting holes I make, with a bulb planter, are as deep as I can make them, partially back-filled with some old used (fine) compost, so that usually gives me 9" of perfect growing depth before the root has to fight for itself - and any deeper than that is likely to get bust off when I dig them out anyway - mine are definitely not for show!, they are for flavour :)

I make my pots by rolling a sheet of newspaper around a (skinny) aerosol can, some pictures on my blog:
https://kgarden.wordpress.com/tips/how-to-make-pots-from-newspaper/

Here's some Parsnip seedlings I prepared earlier :D

[ACE]

Yep, Like that newspaper method. I don't know if I am going to be too late this year. I have been out of the vegetable growing loop for a long time while I was concentrating on flowering plants. It's like being a newby again.

[Digeroo]

Certainly not too late this year.  Prime time as far as I am concerned.   Aiming to go to plot next week when the weather is slightly warmer.  They say the later one have less canker.

[gray1720]

Do you just drop them, newspaper and all, into the prepared hole?

I transplanted thinnings one year as I had such poor germination - clump here, clump there - and you've never seen anything like the shapes I got. It was like an octopus orgy!

Adrian

[saddad]

I find all the indoor faffing just gives me forked and stunted roots... I never get them "out" quick enough.
I now sow them in a damp drill where I want them, and cover with a plank to stop the soil capping. Use some pellets to stop the slugs that hide under there and check frequently (daily) after two or three weeks...

[BarriedaleNick]

I tend to sow in threes direct into the ground and I only fail once in a while.  They really don't like being transplanted and I can be a clumsy oaf so I just sow direct, three to a station every couple of inches and then thin if any more than one germinates.  It is still way too early for sowing direct if you want to get decent germination - normally leave mine till March.

[Digeroo]

Always sow Feb.  Even the year before last when it was frozen most of March I had a good showing.  Pheasant tends to throw the compost around so I never get straight rows.  But luckily he is not a seed eater.

The plot holder next to me is fantastic at parsnips, as soon as he gets a row in then in go mine as well.   

[kGarden]

Do you just drop them, newspaper and all, into the prepared hole?

Yes, but I tear off the ring of newspaper around the top - if it sticks out of the soil it dries out the newspaper underground, which I think limits root growth of the new plant.  Probably not a problem for Parsnips (they are heading straight down!!) but I figure it is for other things so I do it for Parsnips too.

Used to have the same issue back when I used pots made from compressed peat that were intended to be "plant out whole" to avoid root disturbance - they dried out so much that the plants never grew at all!!

[ACE]

Well, I have started them off in a mini propagator that came free with two apple turnovers. Hope it works as it will be a good excuse for more apple turnovers.

[ancellsfarmer]

Well, I have started them off in a mini propagator that came free with two apple turnovers. Hope it works as it will be a good excuse for more apple turnovers.

More details please!

[ACE]

More details please!

Triangular flakey pastry with a crunchy sugar top and a nice apple filling.  

I expect you realy need the description of the clear plastic, deep, folded over lid packaging that they came in.

[theothermarg]

I tend to sow in threes direct into the ground and I only fail once in a while.  They really don't like being transplanted and I can be a clumsy oaf so I just sow direct, three to a station every couple of inches and then thin if any more than one germinates.  It is still way too early for sowing direct if you want to get decent germination - normally leave mine till March.

This is what I find works as well. One year I tried sowing radish inbetween as they come up 1st and marks the row 
this worked quite well till  OH proudly announced that he had "weeded" the radish 
marg

[artichoke]

I totally agree with tearing off the top rim of the newspaper, very important., but easy to do. Also important to watch the bottom of the paper cell to check for a root emerging - same as for sweet corn. They don't do well if they are rammed into a hole and the tip of the root breaks off.

Also agree with the energy of the self-sown seeds. One year parsnips spread like weeds, and my nearest neighbour did not like it. But like leeks, I do try to leave at least one plant to flower and set seed as they are so much more vigorous than bought seeds.

[ancellsfarmer]

More details please!

Triangular flakey pastry with a crunchy sugar top and a nice apple filling.  

I expect you realy need the description of the clear plastic, deep, folded over lid packaging that they came in.

Ha Ha ! Not a sales promotion from Greggs then! I shouldn't read these posts when the brain is addled after a busy day. Dont forget the drainage.....

[ACE]

Dont forget the drainage.....

Don't need it. This is only for the first stage with the damp kitchen roll until they germinate. They are not really deep enough for propagating other stuff.