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I'm hoping to get my parsnips sown at the weekend and I'm planning a bit of an experiment.

Last year I bought a packet or parsnip seeds that never got opened and while I've been told you should generally plant only 'new' parsnip seeds as they're a bugger to germinate at the best of times I want to try these year old seeds as well as my fresh ones and see what happens.

I thought I'd try and start the old seeds of by germinating them on some wet kitchen paper in the airing cuboard as that way I can 'see' whats happening rather than wasting space sowing seeds that may never germinate.

First question, does that sound like a good plan?

Second question, assuming some germinate how do I plant the baby seedlings? Is it just a case of very carefuly planting them one by one in their final growing positions? Do I need to ensure they are the right way up with part of it above ground or will they sort themselves out as they grow?

Thanks :)

Last year I chitted my parsnip seeds on wet kitchen paper in a plastic box. As soon as a tiny root was seen, I put them in small peat pots and then planted them out as soon as the little seedlings came through. Its a bit fiddly and long winded, but it worked well and I got some good parsnips!

Would agree with Tin Shed, mine started to "sprout" after about 14 days. Only difference is I put mine straight into the container where they will grow.

I'm also cautious about sowing things that might not germinate, so I did what you are doing, and every time a white root appeared it went straight into a newspaper pot of compost. They germinate at very different rates - some took 12 days longer than the first. I've now got 25 paper pots with seedlings showing, standing out in the sun to make strong little plants, and eventually I will plant the whole newspaper pot in the ground. If they are successful, they will be my first parsnips.

Some newspaper pot folding methods look very long winded, and why do they need closed bases? I make a long newspaper tube (round a suitable tube left over from something else), staple the top, snip off shorter sections, stapling as I go, and made a mass in half an hour. I stand them in plastic boxes (kept over the years), so they don't need bottoms, and the compost does not fall out.

Or use loo roll middles!

I left some in a sealed jar last year to see what would happen. Some of it is germinating now, after sitting there for a year.

I thought I had replied to this one before or am I just imagining it  ??? ??? ::)

This subject comes up most years and I recall last year where I said I was going to experiment with three different methods this is the results;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Parsnip/Parsnips%20prop/parsnips%20prop.html (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Parsnip/Parsnips%20prop/parsnips%20prop.html)

I found the seeds in cells and covered the best method so that the one I am going for this year.

I am still pulling them I think I still have three or four left. They have been very good perhaps not prizewinning shape but certainly very suitable for the pot.

They have three to four inch shoulders on them and the main boddy of the parsnip has been 8"-10"" long.

One root does the two of us at least three meals so well satisfied.

ps My apologies if I have written the above before...TG

I'm planning on sowing in empty loo rolls filled with sieved compost and start off in greenhouse. Apparently they don't like recently manured soil.

I'm doing the usual and sowing straight into the soil but will wait until the soil warms up a bit I'm aiming for April 4th/5th. I'm glad you mentioned that you thought you had all ready posted TG because I posted on another subject and when I looked for other repies the next day mine was gone.  ???    :-\     ;D ;D ;D

I would use loo rolls but there are only 2 of us and they are all used up! Even though I have cut most of them in half. So the rapidly made newspaper ones (different lengths for different plants, v long for parsnips) are very useful standby.

Wish I hadn't put the sweet peas in the halves, as their roots are already coming out of the bottom and I haven't thought where to put them....probably in their loo rolls into small pots, which will be a nuisance.

I thought I'd pulled all mine up a couple of weeks ago, but discovered another  when digging over the plot the other day - very long, not very fat, but delicious to eat. Sowed the seed straight into the ground last year, but I'm sowing my seed in cells this year as I think this will get the parsnips off to a better start and help prevent the plants getting too congested.

ours were pre chitted, sown straight into where they are to grow, covered with fleece(stops carrot fly and keeps them a bit warmer)..now half an inch tall  ;D

I also used the sowing the seed in cells method last year, lightly covered in compost. However, do not leave the seedlings too long in the cells or the roots may not develop into long tapering roots. Sowing into root trainers might be a good method as it would give more room to let the root develop. Memo to self, must try it!!

i was just wondering about planting parsnips myself i'm going to start the seeds off in cells but most of my plot is stony would it be best if i riddle one of the beds.

Quote from: reddyreddy on March 18, 2009, 17:23:52
I'm planning on sowing in empty loo rolls filled with sieved compost and start off in greenhouse. Apparently they don't like recently manured soil.

I did exactly this and all mine have germinated, I am very pleased as I am new to all this

We've saved our loo roll middles since last summer and have loads so a second sowing of parsnips will be happening this weekend - I don't know the meaning of the words 'quit while you are ahead!'  ;D

Clear the larger stones, dib a hole fill with compost and pop your nip in.  ;D ;D ;D

Interesting thread.
Due to circumstances last year, I didn't plant my seed until JUNE! Trad. 3 station jobbies.
Results were fantastic in WELL prepared ground, had to be with clay.
Off to dig my last plants this W/E.

Last year I got the grand total of 2 parsnips  :'(

So far I have tried chitting two whole packets......NOTHING  :'(  :'(

I have packets 3 and 4 I will try at the weekend

Quotebut most of my plot is stony would it be best if i riddle one of the beds.

A variation on cornkevs suggestion;

Push your spade into the ground ease it back and forward to form a 'Vee' .......do this right along the row.

Fill the vee shaped trench with compost and sow / plant your parsnips in to it.

did mine in loo rolls on 1st March just showing life now hope this will help them not looking like an alien head :D and end up straight

I know someone who starts his carrots off in long/deep pots and then plants the whole pot in prepared ground. The gardener in question, like me gardens on chalky soil on which direct sown root veg wont grow. Starting them off in pots gets them growing and by planting out the whole pot this avoids the root disturbance problem you get with modules.

Although the method i describe is used for carrots i cannot see why it cannot be used for parsnips as well. In fact i am planning to try it out for both vegetables this year. I am now wondering though if i should try chitting the parsnips first and then planting in them in the pots as the seed whilst unopened is a couple of years old.

I shall be doing my carrots like that TG.  ;D ;D ;D

With reference to the fleecing, is this left over the whole time or just put to cover in the evenings and removed in the morning if the weather looks fine???

Put it on and leave it.

I planted 12 parsnip seeds 3 weeks ago in a seed tray indoors. 7 have germinated. I'm quite pleased.

 ;D all the seeds i have done in the loo rolls are up so hopefully get nice looking parnsips this year so hubby does not laugh when he digs them up and shows all the people down the allotment

i a planning to chit some today, will on top of my combination boiler be to warm and if yes would putting something like brick/ thick piece of wood between the tray and the top of the boiler even out the transfer of heat better ??? not sure if i am making sense :-\

Well the trick now Becky is to get them out asap... or you will still get distorted roots..  :-X

left in kitchen paper ( forgot) one pkt of seeds all growing?

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/teresa3/?action=view&current=Photo0166.jpg

Mine are coming up in my rootrainers, will sow some direct in the next few weeks too.

Well the ones I started chitting in the airing cuboard last week seem to have all sprouted when I looked this morning.

I'll get them in loo rolls tonight all being well. Is there a 'right' way to pot them up, I mean can do I have to make sure the shoot is pointing down or anything or can I just drop them into the rolls and cover them with a bit of compost and let them sort themselves out?

Also, while I'm thinking of it, I was going to keep the loo rolls inside for the moment (unless someone tells me thats a bad plan...) will they need hardening off before they get planted outside when they're big enough?

If they've just started chitting Cuke then just cover a little... they are very hardy a bit of fleece for the first couple of days when they are put out should be enough...  :)

Quote from: thifasmom on March 25, 2009, 11:52:21
i a planning to chit some today, will on top of my combination boiler be to warm and if yes would putting something like brick/ thick piece of wood between the tray and the top of the boiler even out the transfer of heat better ??? not sure if i am making sense :-\

any ideas :-\ anybody ???

I just used a plastic box on my kitchen windowcill worked fine ;)

They don't need the extra heat... just in a container indoors will do it... but they won't cook either. Some seeds don't germinate when too warm, lettuce are notorious for it...  :)

thanks i'll leave them where i put them, under the dining table next to a radiator.

If ive got parsnip seeds between 2 sheets of kitchen roll do i need to keep the roll wet, is this a stupid question??

Damp, certainly...  :)

if you use a lunch box put the paper towel with seeds inside and wet the whole lot then drain off excees place the lid of box on and put to one side. No need for further watering damp enough. hope this helps

hadn't put in a container, maybe do that tommorrow, thanks