hi all, can some one help me please.I'm struggling with my parsnips,iv put them in bog rolls about 20 days ago but nothing yet. ??? the seeds are about 1/4''deep and iv kept them damp.they are new seeds as well.
thanks J
Have a look in one of your rolls..if the seeds look still ok but not germinated..maybe your compost haven't been damp enough?
There is nothing to loose by having a look...and then just took them back into bed.. ;)
Let us know what you find as there is so many reasons that can affect germination..
They are notoriously bad for germinating.
If you have any seed left you can try any of these methods as back up.
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've recently direct-sown two rows on my plot: one was bought this year as fresh seed, the other was saved from a seed head last Autumn, and stored in a rolled up paper envelope in a warm room . The saved seed row germinated very well while the bought seed gave patchy and partial germination. It does make me doubt the quality of what some seed companies put in their little vacuum-sealed foil sachets.
..that's true..but there is also the issue how shops and garden centres store their stock..it doesn't take much to ruin seeds..box standing near radiators etc.. ::)..lot of staff in shops have no knowlege of these things..
I (touch wood) seem to do reasonably well with parsnips by using the following method. I chit the parsnip seed on damp kitchen towel in a Tupperware type container placed in the airing cupboard. In approximately 10 days time most of the seeds have started to grow I then using a pair of long tweezers transplant them into rows down at the allotment. In each row after every dozen or so parsnip seeds I plant a couple of raddishes. Although I do not personally eat raddishes they will be through in about 10 days and will mark out the rows well in advance of the slower growing parsnips. Before I did the raddish thing I have many times pulled up the parsnips by mistake when trying to weed.
I hope this helps. This is my 1st post although I have been a guest for some considerable time
Hiya, plot22, welcome to a4a ;D
we do the same as you but without the radish :)
Quote from: plot22 on April 16, 2010, 20:16:15
Before I did the raddish thing I have many times pulled up the parsnips by mistake when trying to weed.
Welcome plot22!
I've always thought that newly emerging parsnips do look very weed-like and I'm sure loads of them get pulled up by mistake. I mark them with radish seed or small lettuce - Tom Thumb works well.
I must try this idea. Would a sunny window sill work too?
Hot water isn't on most of the time so the airing cupboard is cold.
I did the same as plot 22 last year and I think all the packet of seeds germarnated I never had any luck sowing direct into the ground.
I did them as most of my seeds on a sunny windowsill saves on the electric ha ha.
I usually do mine in paper pots (I've got one of those paper pot making thingies), I find most of them germinate fine in those in the (unheated) greenhouse, then when they're a bit bigger, I just plant the whole thing, paper pot and all, and they do just fine. I also had a really good crop one year when I sowed them direct but didn't sow them til May. I think the warmer weather helped them to germinate and I had a brilliant crop that year.
Last yearI pre-chitted on damp kitchen roll then planted in loo roll middles, then planted out. This also avoids the problem of forgetting where they are, asby the time they go out they have leaves!
I did the same as plot22 last year, but the results were no better than direct sowing, that is some of the germinated seed died after planting out. I never have any problem with direct sowing*, so i've gone back to that
* apart from the year where they started germinating in August ;D
Parsnip seedling are very easy to recognise - they are a really fresh green colour, difficult to confuse with anything else
I sow mine straight into the gound when its warm enough, I can't be doing with all the fussing about.
Dig over the ground taking out the stones
Stake out a string line
Press a piece of wood firmly on the line, so you get a V affect
Sow into the V, cover with compost and water.
;D ;D ;D
hi plot 22 tried this way to with the same seeds 15 days ago nothing ??? do you think it's the seeds :(
if i get some more whats the best ones
thanks to every one on there advice jj
I sowed Gladiator and they took just over 3 weeks to germinate in loorolls in the GH, I was begining to give up hope, they have been thinned to 2 seedlings and planted out as soon as the tap root emerged at the bottom of the module - so far so good.
Quote from: cornykev on April 17, 2010, 10:07:54
I sow mine straight into the gound when its warm enough, I can't be doing with all the fussing about.
Dig over the ground taking out the stones
Stake out a string line
Press a piece of wood firmly on the line, so you get a V affect
Sow into the V, cover with compost and water.
;D ;D ;D
If you place a length of wood a couple of inches wide along the top of the row of seed it retains the moisture and you will find that the seed will germinate in about 20 days.
I tried parsnips for the first time last year, using seed from a packet that was unopened but a couple of years old. I tried chitting them with no sucess (dried out). I then tried sowing in modules and only 5 germinated which were duly planted out and grew OK. Sowing direct is a no-no, as root crops tend not to germinate on my soil (tried fruitlessly for years with carrots).
This year i bought a new packet of seed, determined to try various methods until i found one that worked and i got a decent crop. So far i have tried station sowing in 'pans' - the intention being to let them grow on for a bit then plant the whole potfull in the ground. after a 2 week wait i spotted shoots from one pot this morning. At the same time i tried sowing in seed and multi-purpose compost to see what was best. The best germination has been in multi-purpose. No signs from the seed compost yet.
Next i plan to use the module method, a technique i found successfull for carrots last year. I will also have a go at direct sowing just to see if parsnips can be direct sown in my soil.
This year I have directly sown using fresh seed (Excaliber) and cloche protection. It has taken just over three and half weeks and all have germinated. Hopefully we will be having parsnips this Christmas. ;D
I stuck some Tender and True seed in a jar with damp tissue two years ago, and just left it in the shed. Quite a bit germinated straight off. Quite a bit more germinated last spring. One came up this year. I'm not sure why we get such crap germination, but I'm not sure the seed is really as short-lived as some would have us believe!
took a chance needed to get the parsnips in the roilet rolls in place up at the lottie (they had not came up or anything, well i have to say, i also took a chance with last years seeds and it is 100% germination, i sowed 2 seeds per tube and i have been having to remove a seedling, it is so far only 80% germination for the new seeds, i have a few empty tubes but it is still early, i feel it is better with the tubes as i know where i have planted the seeds and can monitor them, if there are any gaps i shall stick a swede in there or something ;D
Having failed to get any to germinate for the last 2 years, this year I bought some topsoil from the garden centre, and put about 1/2" down on the bed. I planted the seeds in this about a month ago, made sure it was kept regularly moist, and finally there's a number of seedlings on their way up.
Robin