Hi
Given my love of parsnips and the problem I have had getting them out the ground I have had an idea.
I was thinking that I could get some wood and inside one of my raised beds make 2 long V shaped trenches that I can grow the parsnip in.
So the walls of the V would be 2ft high and the V would be approx 8inchs wide at the top.
When it comes 2 harvesting I just need to remove the support releasing the wall and the soil and parsnip would fall out.
I could use a bed i have not filled yet and this would allow me to use this area to rot some fresh horsemanure in.
What do u think?
cambourne7
Wouldn't it dry out rather quickly?
Unless you used some of those water retaining granules.
Cam
The best parsnips I ever had and easy to harvest was when I created 'parsnip pits'. This involved shaping out holes in the soil and filling with compost, 3 seeds per pit and thin out. It was a bit of a phaff and this year I didn't bother and the result was mutant parsnips.
I just used a dibber to make the holes but there was a lengthy thread about customised parsnip preparation apparatus.
I had exactly the same experience, SMP, and will definitely use the "parsnip pit" method this year.
Mine are stubby about 9" of proper parsnips and then the creature from the black lagoon!... maybe I should make some pits...
;D
thanks for the advice guys i will have a think about it :)
My lottie neighbour grows his in lengths of drainpipe, minimum of 6 inches wide I believe. When it comes to harvest time he just pushes from the top out the bottom. Might give it a go myself.
my best parsnips I grew in loo rolls 3 seeds per roll thinned to best one then when couple of inches high set out and the results were brill
I am thinking of trying drainpipeas I have found things get a better start athome where I can keep a eye on them, however I think perhaps this wouldn,t work with parsnips as they send down a long taproot which gets damaged easily!! I have also found that when seedlings are grown in this way they are more attractive to all the pests as they are so tender
marg
I have a confession to make about all 8 parnips (?) that I molly coddled for christmas lunch - all year I weeded and looked after them and on Christmas Eve I quickly popped down to thelottie to unearth my treasures - you can imagine my amazement when out popped roots only. On closer inspection (sniffing and crushing the leaves), I found that instead of parnips they were a type of celery!! ;D :-[ :-[ :-[ I was so upset I would not even go to the shop and buy some to replace them. So we had no parnips for Christmas dinner this year.
This year (2008) I will make sure that I mark my seedlings properly - will order some from real seeds - must have mixed them up.
Gee - maybe next year I will do better :'( :'(
Jitterbug
sorry 2 hear thatt jitterbug
Quote from: cambourne7 on December 29, 2007, 02:20:53
I could use a bed i have not filled yet and this would allow me to use this area to rot some fresh horsemanure in.
When doing parsnips or carrots do not plant in an area that has been freshly manured as this will encourage the plants to folk.
collect all your rubbish especially wood and burn it on the ground you are about to plant your parsnips in. Then remove any large unburnt pieces , rake and dig in all the ashes (as much as possible) to a decent depth. This makes the gound very light and friable but doesnt over enrich to cause forking.
I did this (more by accident this year) and found I could basically, on a frost free day, pull up 2' parsnips by hand.
HTH