Yes I think I have been far too impatient and sowed some Pasnip Gladiator in the greenhouse last month. I was most chuffed because although it wasn't new seed I got pretty good germination. They are in loo roll tubes and have only one set of v small leaves, but TO MY HORROR, I turned them over and the roots are well and truly out of the bottom and all wiggly now due to their length and not having anywhere to go other than the bottom of the ice cream tub they are standing in!.
Question is - if I nip' the roots off before planting in the ground will this kill them or will they just keep on growing regardless?
Any advice appreciated - and yes I know I am a chump for being too keen too early....
:-[
VG x
I'll have to leave this to someone else, veggirl, I pre germinated some on damp kitchen paper and have had to plant them out under cover as they got too big, anyway, should get some amusing shapes ..
ps whereabouts in west cornwall are you, we're coming to st ives in august, can't wait ;D
Thanks for your reply Manicscousers, I think my next try will be down the pregerminating kitchen roll thingy route. Oh well we live and learn....
We live about 10 miles from St Ives and am sure you will enjoy your holiday down here, it's a very beautiful part of the country, some might argue even nicer off season when the beaches are less crowded etc. Either way I count myself very lucky. It's certainly been lovely weather here today, starting to feel like spring is here to stay.
VG x
yes, we usually come down out of season but we're bringing our grandson and neice this year so have to come during termtime..love the whole of cornwall, it's our home ..we just live here ;D
someone suggests leaving the pre germinated seeds on the paper and cutting it up into strips to plant..happy planting :)
plant them outside now. I have and its Scotland.
Been checking on another couple of sites which say once the taproot has been disturbed you've had it moreorless. Still I guess I will plant them out - keep fingers crossed and sow some more properly later on!!
thanks
VG x
I read these things all the time. last year I transplanted (disturbed) Carrots, Swedes, Kohl Rabi and Parsnips and mostly they grew fine.
I would say it is all down to trial and error.
You can read in some books that root veggies should be sown in their final growing position, others say the opposite.
Its the same as our diet, some "specialists" say we shouldn't eat this or that, some say we should.
If at first you don't succeed, you know not to try it again!
planted some turnips and kohl rabi in small peat pots today, will plant out when they're bigger :)
I,d say trying your best not to disturb the taproot any more pop them id the ground. cover them up as they won,t be hardend off, put afew slug pellets down as they will be nice and tender and hope for the best what have you got to lose
marg ::) ps start some new ones off just in case
Hi again
thanks for all your comments and advice, nothing ventured nothing gained etc. At least as you say I have the chance to sow some more.
You know how it is though - a bit of sunshine and we all go into overdrive, too much excitement for me I'm afraid, lets hope it's not 'tears before bedtime' as my old Dad used to say...
Hi veggirl i live in somerset and i have got my pasnips out.
Hi Veg girl - I'm a couple of miles from Penzance, I haven't sown any parsnips yet because it's been too wet! It will be my first year for Parsnips - so hoping direct sowing will be ok.
Alison
I planted out 3 weeks ago in the ground in Berkshire - had them covered with black weed membraine until they germinated and have now removed that to see some lovely little shoots...
Nothing ventured as you say ;)
I live in Bucks and my parsnips are just coming through, we have not had a lot of luck before with them, you know tried chitting on kitchen paper, loo rolls etc., so this year we made quite large drills filled with compost and planted 2 seeds per hole. At least they have shown their heads so fingers crossed.
i've had mine on kitchen roll now for 2 weeks and still they haven't germinated any ideas on how long it takes fed up with waiting
I chitted on kitchen paper kept drying out, then put wet news paper underneath, then put in propagater, finally started chitting today after more than two weeks. ;D ;D ;D
that sounds hopeful for me then thanks :D
Parsnip seeds are best planted out where they are going to stay. They can take ages to germinate so many people mark the row with a quick crop like radish. You don't really gain anything by germinating them elsewhere and you may well lose out as they don't like being disturbed. Bit of weeding and "Bob's your uncle".
Well I planted out the chitted parsnips and sowed some seeds so we will see the difference. ;D ;D ;D
didn't chit last year, NO parsnips, chitted this year, 45 planted out, I'm happy ;D
Mine been in loo rolls for about three weeks, still no sign... planted five rows direst last spring probably got about a dozen all told!
:-\
i put some on kitchen towel about 3 weeks ago and still nothing thinking of just sowing them in lotty and taking a chance if they grow they grow
I'm lying, as usual, today they are through! Yippee!
;D
I think I might have made a mistake with my pre germinated parsnip seeds. I started them a couple of weeks ago on wet kitchen paper got good roots so decided to plant yesterday in the ground similar to most of you they have two chances. But as planting in clay soil I was speaking to a work colleague the other day and he has a similar clay plot so for his carrots he makes a large hole with dibber or pole and fills with sand and germinates seed in this. I have tried this with my parsnip seedlings but should the sand be mixed with soil or will they grow in sand ok, thinking the sand wont have the required nutrients for the parsnips to grow. oohps might need to start again, your comments will be appreciated.
Stuart
The sand funnel encourages the tap root to go down looking for water/nutrients and gives you a decent length of root, the feeding roots are on the outside of the parsnip like little hairs, these go out into the proper soil. Most root veg are naturalised on sandy soils as weeds that's where plant breeders started...
If you want to mix the sand 50/50 with compost go ahead but if it is too rich a mix they will fork...
;D