Allotments 4 All

I've read a couple of threads about growing parsnips and I was wondering what is the best way to grow them.

In the past I have sown directly in the plot but I never seem to get a very good germination rate and I end up with a patchy spread of snips.  Mind you, they do grow well and they do taste nice.

I've read somewhere you can germinate parsnips in a seed tray in the greenhouse and then transplant them.  Is this worth doing?  How deep does the tray need to be?  How big should the plants be when putting them into the plot?  Are there any points I need to consider?  So many questions !  :o

I chit them in a tupperware box lined with damp kitchen roll, paper on the top too then the lid on, Put them in theairing cupboard, they germinate very fast and I plant them straight out into raised beds, it works every time for me.You need to look daily though ot they catch you out.

XX Jeannine

You could sow into toilet roll tubes.Plant when you can see a good root.Parsnips are known to not germinate as well as other seed so if you sow direct into the ground sow thickly a couple of inches into the ground.When they are a few ins high thin out to about 8ins apart.Hope this helps :) :)

Straight in the soil for me, but when the soil warms up a bit more.  ;D ;D ;D

Same here. I won't be planting them till it warms up.

I have just planted pre-chitted seeds (placed on damp paper on the windowsill to sprout) into loo rolls filled with multipurpose compost. I am keeping these inside for a while, but will then put them out in the coldframe before transplanting to the final position. Does this work? No idea! When it warms up I am also planning to pre-chit and plant straight into the allotment. When I plant them I am going to make holes and fill with compost in hope of getting some that don't fork. We are also going to grow a few in drainpipes filled with compost to try and get some good ones for the show. These are a few ideas I have gained from reading threads on A4A. I am hoping to increase on my harvest of one parsnip last year!

I know you shouldn't grow roots on recently manured ground, but is there any particular soil treatment that will help parsnips?

Sparkly I always pregerminate mine on kitchen roll then plant them into toilet roll tubes to grow on prior to planting the whole lot out. Does it work ? OH yes :) :D

i'm just going to pregerminate mine, then put them straight out.

Last year I did the loo roll methord best crop ever. Still got some to harvest, so will be doing it again this year.

Three seeds per station, sown direct, when the soil has warmed up during April.  Sowing later also prevents canker which is caused be frost getting into the growing root.

I have tried to germinate on kitchen roll in tupperwear tub without any success.  Might be my seeds (B&Q) Can anyone recommend a seed that seems to germinate well.

I grow Albion F1 from Thompson and Morgan.  Last year I had a very poor germination rate on the first sowing but I am putting that down to using the previous years seed and I heard parsnip seed does not keep well.  The second sowing grew really well, if not a little patchy which is why I started this thread!

lidl  hollow crown 19p last year  ;D
kings avonresister this year

I di a chit test with several types last year(there is a thread here about it) there was  no difference at all with the germination, it worked with them all. XX Jeannine

I'm just glad I found your bit about putting them in box in the airing cupboard Jeannine, not been able to germinate one until I tried that, now four of them have germinated and I've done a victory dance around my kitchen rofl - it's my favourite vegetable and I would have been gutted if nothing had come of it.  :-[

Have bought new seeds and am trying to chit them as suggested by Jeannine. Fingers crossed. :)

It's taken about 4 days for mine to start germinating, so fingers crossed Chilli Queen.  Don't let the kitchen roll dry out though.  Mind you I was surprised to learn that parsnip (according to Hessayen) can take up to 28 days to germinate in soil.

Has anyone tried growing them in pots? 

I have never had success with parsnips because the soil is too stony and the carrot fly gets to them despite fleecing.  I thought I might start them off in the greenhouse and then move them outside.  I have filled the pots with a sowing compost but should I put in some fertiliser pellets? 

Your advice is much appreciated as this will be very new to me.