What would you concider to be a good parsnip to grow, and what is the best way to get good germination?
I only ever get two or three s'nips from a packet of seed
A tip I have been told which I will be trying this year is to place the seeds on some damp kitchen towel and start them off somewhere warmish before you sow them, they don't have to germinate much, just get going. Two or three of these at a station and then thin out as and when you need to.
Last year I tried making "boreholes" with a big metal pole, filling it with compost and then sowing seeds into these. Worked really well and allowed me to see where my seeds were (because the compost was different colour to my soil) and made weeding easier until the parsnips were well established.
Hope this helps,
Woppa
I read somewhere that a later sowing had a better germination success - so last year I sowed 4 seeds to a station in April and got over 60 parsnips. A later sowing might be worth trying.
I agree with the later sowing - I wait until mid March and sow a second row in mid April. Shallow drill, which I then water, place in the seeds, then cover with potting compost, water with a fine rose and leave them to it. Always have a good result with 'snips.