I have a 10 foot row of parsnips, I grew them in the manner shown by one of the members on this forum (sorry I can't remember which one).
Dug a drill 3" deep in my raised bed, nearly filled with multipurpose, sowed the seed and covered with more multipurpose. I then watered and covered with a fleece and up they all came.
My question is, I must have sewn them 2" apart as that is how they have come up, they are now 14" tall (I have taken the fleece off as it's too small) and I should have thinned them to 8" apart. I'm loath to do so as they all look so healthy. If I just left them all in, would I get lots of small parsnip (which is what I'd prefer) or would they all crush each other and I may not get any. I have never grown these before, thanks for any replies. :-\
I certainly do not think you need 8" between parsnips. Perhaps if you want to grow exhibition ones.
It must have been quite a task sowing them so carefully, and for them all to have come up. Well Done.
I am a shoe horn gardener and am happy with small parsnips grown 2" apart.
Quote from: Digeroo on June 10, 2009, 20:09:01
I certainly do not think you need 8" between parsnips. Perhaps if you want to grow exhibition ones.
It must have been quite a task sowing them so carefully, and for them all to have come up. Well Done.
I am a shoe horn gardener and am happy with small parsnips grown 2" apart.
Thanks for the quick reply Digeroo, it's just what I wanted to hear. I was also worried about damaging the plants/roots either side if I had needed to thin them. ;)
I sowed very close because of bad germination last year and most came up!
Thinned mine to 4 inches apart, then, wiv me trusty leek dibber, made new holes for the thinnings and they seem to have survived.........well the leaf growth looks good at the moment. Never tried this before will keep you posted.
Linda
Quote from: downtoearth on June 10, 2009, 20:21:19
I sowed very close because of bad germination last year and most came up!
Thinned mine to 4 inches apart, then, wiv me trusty leek dibber, made new holes for the thinnings and they seem to have survived.........well the leaf growth looks good at the moment. Never tried this before will keep you posted.
Linda
Good luck with your transplanting, yes, let us know how they get on. Here's to a bumper crop. :)
But you will not win any prizes. They will be very small, they have quite big leaves and take a quite a space to make the power to fill the root. I have had very limited space and have had to make do. Probably the sensible part of me would say 4" is a better option.
we pull every other one while they are small to eat now ;D
Quote from: manicscousers on June 10, 2009, 21:34:19
we pull every other one while they are small to eat now ;D
From the general consensus of opinion , I think that's just what I'll do tomorrow. ;)
I am growing parsnips in a container and they are rather crowded but I find with carrots in a container I can water and thin at the same time so that I can eat the thinnings. Many exhibitors grow in barrels of sand to get straight clean roots. I judged some one year the total length was almost 1 1/2 mts.