I cannot plant parsnips under the butternut squash as the parsnips are longer growing plants and the squash take a lot of room?
i would suggest that the butternut squash would totally swamp the little parsnip seedlings depriving them of light and they would die. you would be better off growing something above the sqaush such as climbing beans or sweetcorn. :)
If you want to interplant something with the parsnips use something short-term and small so it won't swamp them. Radishes or spring onions would work.
You could start the parsnips off in pots and plant them out later?
If you are careful when planting out you need not disturb the roots.
Actually I was wondering more about watering lvls. Sorry I didnt explain more fully but it was early and my brain didnt work lol
As b squash takes so much room I want to plant under them with parsnips, I have already got the parsnips in paper pots nearly ready to be planted, the b squash are ready to plant but need to be planted in a 2-3 foot square so theres an awful lot of ground room not planted, if you see what I mean.
I plant above the squash some tomatoes on 3 x3's in old jeans legs.
I can control where the b squash grows as Im training them around with canes so the leaves wont be a problem, however the watering will be.
Butternut squash dont like water on the leaves etc very much and tend to rot if wet so I put in the ground beside each one a 6 inch pipe to water down so the water gets to the roots. I also mark where the b squash is actually planted with a cane so there is no mistakes.
So........as we can see there is loads of ground space not being planted, just 1 plant per 2-3 feet, how much water do parsnips need? How do I water them without soaking the squash?
Ps I underplant my corn with winter squash as they are in the ground longer than b squash.
Or...........if you are training the squash, why not plant them at closer spacing? Honestly though, once they get going, they will use all space that is available to them and then a bit more.
I think the sqash will grow faster than the parsnips and will take too much light
Once parsnips are growing well they shouldn't need any watering... that long, long root will drag up any water in the soil!
;D
Thats just what I was hoping Saddad thanks ;D
Im certainly gonna try 3 tier planting.
I am a bit confused with this one , you mention you plant winter squash under corn as it takes longer than butternut but butternut IS a winter squash??
Re the parsnip... your squash will totally swamp your parsnips.
XX Jeannine