Too late for Parsnips?

[katynewbie]

Is it too late for sowing some parsnips to get baby ones? Already have some in and going strong but love the little ones too

???

[katynewbie]

[Tee Gee]

It is a bit late but if it is a case that you have some seeds left from a previous sowing you may as well go for it as it best to renew seeds every year.

That is to save these seeds to next might be a waste of time as this exercise might be! but if you get a few then thats a bonus.

But if it is a case of buying seed to do this I wouldn't bother!

[Jeannine]

Tee Gee, I am baffled with parnips, I have always gone with the timing for the UK but here they are saying sow till mid August, I can't figure it out and it seems all wrong to me,,any ideas.? XX Jeannine

[Tee Gee]

I have tried various time myself and if I am sowing directly into the soil I find I get better germination rates the later I sow.

This year I sowed in cells on the 10th May and directly into the soil on the 27th May and the later sowing germinated quicker e.g. the cells took 12 days the later ones took a week.

My germination rate in cells was about 50% wheras in the soil I would have said it was 80-90%.

But then again late May was quite warm here so this might have played a part!

[PurpleHeather]

I have given up with the ruddy things and will just get them from the supermarkets now. If they are a good price.

Certainly they are difficult to get going, and using various methods, does get them off but the end results are dependant on the soil being in an exact condition and the date of harvest has to be just right or they go woody. The end results can resemble a creature from Dr Who's alien enemies.

Getting parsnips 'just right' is an exact science that few will admit to. I grow to cook. A lot of men grow and take things home. I am sure a lot of wives do not use the stuff taken home, well actually. I know they don't. Their husband's just think they do and the ladies are happy for their husbands to go to the lottie to get them out of the house.

I might well try to grow parsnips again but this year I chose to give them a rest.

[mat]

I normally have no problems, but this year... it took two sowings for some to germinate and the second sowing although they came thru, are not very happy :-(  I think the very dry Spring/Summer didn't help

[Jeannine]

Problem is here parsnips and brussel sprouts are expensive, more than grapes or peaches and I resent paying it XX Jeannine

[earlypea]

Katy - if it's any help I sowed some hamburg parsley, a similarly slow growing root, in mid-June last year and by mid-November some had sizeable roots of several inches.

I didn't sow enough parsnips earlier myself and have been waiting for some rain - I'm going to give it a go now the ground's a little bit moist.

From a March sowing they're ready in August so from a mid-July sowing you've got 4 and a bit months til November, though they'll be a lot smaller I expect because of the daylight fading.  Worth a try I reckon.

[antipodes]

It is odd, here I never have any trouble with parsnips! Sow in April, May and by autumn I have got lovely roots. They fare much better than carrots, which so far I have (again) been mostly unsuccessful with.
I grow them because it is almost impossible to buy them here, they are virtually unheard of.

[cornykev]

Every year I have had great snips and certainly been the envy of a few plot holders and had plenty to give away, the germanation has been very poor this year,  :'( about 12/15% compared to 99% other years, I resowed and still bearly anything, good job I still have loads in the freezer from last year.   ;D
The packets of seed only recommend sowing until May and as TG says the seed unopened will be no good next year so throw it in and see what happens.  :-\   ???      ;D ;D ;D

[earlypea]

Corny - please tell me.  Do you stick them in the freezer whole (perhaps washed) or prep them?

I was thinking after last year I might pull them in September while they're looking nice and freeze them myself.  It's the late season development that makes them a bit ugly to deal with, I think.

[lottie lou]

I froze mine cut up as chips.  They were great fried with mixed with potato chip.  However they do take up quite a bit of room in the freezer.  Leaving in the ground and getting the frost is supposed to improve the flavour, unfortunately it can also mean they are impossible to lift.

[Jeannine]

I do agree with having a go as seed doesn't keep but having said that, I had three packets of different seeds this year all marked sow by 2008 . I tried to germinate them on wet kitchen roll anyway as nothing to lose. One was poor, one was OK but one I got quite good germination from, so never chuck them out without trying.

XX Jeannine

[cornykev]

Earlypea, I leave them in the ground and start using after the cold weather hits them, then dig them up before they go to woody, then cut to the size I cook them at, par boil for a minute or so and leave to cool, then bag them as per a meal for 2, 3 etc, thats my way anyway.   ;D ;D ;D

[earlypea]

Thanks Corny, Lottie

Always seems like a faff prepping stuff for freezer was hoping I could just bung them in.... :-\

Was thinking I could freeze them whole in a clean environment rather than in the soil to make using more pleasant.  Eliot Coleman says freezing at 0 degrees C for two weeks gives them a similar sweetness to leaving in the field for winter. Not sure what temperature a freezer is set.  I would try it but I don't have many to play with this year.

As for the seeds' longevity - I don't understand why Realseeds say use carrots for one year only either because they're absolutely fine second year around, in fact I've got heaps of overly thickly sown carrots bolting on my plot - didn't get around to thinning and now they're stuck solid in the dry earth all competing for a scrap of water.  ???

....and parsnips from Realseeds germinated fine second year, around 40% - I sowed thickly to compensate.

[Jeannine]

I think the reason is because they have to have a certain % in order to sell them and they do go off. I find I can buy sweet corn in bulk, after 2 years the germination drops quite dramatically and then continues down, I can usually manage it to about 5 years though and by that time I have saved quite a lot of of money by buying in bulk and have been able to share a lot too which I like.

XX Jeannine

[lottie lou]

I have sowed 3 yr old parsnip seeds and they were okay.  However I chitted mine first then planted in a seed tray to start them growing.  Then transplanted into ground.  They aren't supposed to like being moved around and some did end up rather funny shapes.  Had very little success this year whichever way I have tried.

[Jeannine]

I always chit and never have a problem XX Jeannine

[lottie lou]

Okay couldn't resist and have started some seeds off to plant in the bins when my spuds are removed.  At least it makes use of the bins.

[earlypea]

I think the reason is because they have to have a certain % in order to sell them and they do go off.
XX Jeannine

For mainstream seed companies that's true, but the reason I particularly mentioned Realseeds is that they make themselves outside of those EC regulations as a club and give out lots of useful seed saving info, that's why I'm surprised when they very loudly state on all their carrot packets that they must be used that year.  In my first year of growing I took that as red.  Then when I did airing cupboard tests on second year carrots this year they were pretty much 100%  so I can't understand why they say that.

parsnips, yes diminish more rapidly, but still very much useable...

I think chitting snips seems a very good idea, but my earth yesterday was so moist, light and inviting that I sowed direct - fingers crossed. x