Allotments 4 All

 Hi all,  :D
                I have seen a couple of mentions regarding producing your own parsnip seeds. It seems that you have to replant the parsnip that you want to gather seed from. Why is this? can you not just leave it in the ground? Also when is the best time to do this replanting, if it is necessary? Answers on a postcard please.

                                                                   Adrian.

Replant as soon as you dig it up. You can leave it where it is, but it probably wouldn't be in the most convenient place. Anyone ever tried saving seed, then planting immediately and letting it stand over winter?

The first year I had bees on the site was at a time when there are a lot of derelict plots on the site. I noticed the bees bringing in a lot of distinctive orange-yellow pollen, tracked them across the site, and found a patch of abandoned parsnips covered in them.

Quote from: adrianhumph on June 03, 2008, 09:26:59
Hi all,  :D
                I have seen a couple of mentions regarding producing your own parsnip seeds. It seems that you have to replant the parsnip that you want to gather seed from. Why is this? can you not just leave it in the ground? Also when is the best time to do this replanting, if it is necessary? Answers on a postcard please.

                                                                   Adrian.

I put potatoes where my parsnips have been.  If I just left them where they are, they would be in the way.  As I have to dig them to check for size etc, I might as well put them where they are not going to get in the way too.

And Robert, do you mean treating like a perrenial and leaving it for seed year after year?  If so, did not know you could do that but it woud definitely be worth dedicating and abadoned corner.

Be careful if you do let the parsnip grow the second year for seed - the leaves or flowers - can't think which - bring some folk up in a dreadful rash. And I mean dreadful - huge blisters all over arms & face!

I'm not sure whether it's biennial or perennial, but given the number of clumps of old parsnips I found round the site, I suspect the latter.