Loo rolls and parsnips

[Tracey]

Hi there

I've read on the forum that some of you plant your parnsips in toilet rolls. Why is this?

Kind regards
Tracey

[bramble]

Because they need to be planted in something deep. Also if you sow them into the open ground they take a while to germinate and are also erratic when they do decide to put in an appearance. They also don't like their roots to be disturbed so when planting out the whole lot can be planted and the toilet roll just disintigrates.
Hope this explaination is helpful.

[crichmond]

Im sure I will be corrected if I am wrong but I think it is because the pots are biodegradable and the tube also helps the root grow nice and straight.

Cheers Chris

[crichmond]

Damn.. corrected before I clicked on submit reply..

[bramble]

Don't worry about it Chichmond. All of the above reasons both yours and mine have some thruth in it.

[Tracey]

Thanks guys

I'll start saving my loo rolls.

Kind regards

Tracey

[starwatcher]

Has anyone had much success using this method I am thinking of trying my carrots and parsnips this way, have been saving loo rolls for ages do you plant a few seeds in each and thin out before planting out ?good luck with yours tracey let us know how you get on.

[Jardiniere]

One seed per roll is what I did - they came up OK.
Need to grow loads of parsnips here because you cant buy them in the shops - I have NEVER seen a parsnip for sale in france EVER.

[Alice]

The method works Starwatcher. You only need 1 parsnip seed per roll then just plant the whole thing out. I don't soak the rolls when seedlings are in them (just water down the tube) as they tend to go mouldy if you do, although this mould seems to be harmless. I then soak the tubes before planting out as this seems to help them to biodegrade in the ground. I don't use the method for carrots. I plant them straight into the ground, or container, taking the time to plant seeds about 1" apart and they get on fine. Good luck.

[vicki]

Last year I pre-germinated the seeds on damp kitchen roll, then popped one in each toilet roll and planted the whole lot once they started sprouting. They were brill - I did some with out the toilet roll and they were definately not as straight!

[Bren In Pots]

Tracy last year I used loo rolls as well, out of the 40 seeds (one in each roll) I got 38 parsnips.
Was really pleased

[pigletwillie]

We now use toilet rolls for parsnips after this years success using the method.

Evington Hilltop Adventures: Success with parsnips

[Tracey]

Today I scrutinised parsnips at the market and my toilet rolls. The Parnsips are a lot bigger than the toilet rolls. Do the toilet rolls decompose before the parsnips get to big or do I need to source bigger toilet rolls?

[shirlthegirl43]

Today I scrutinised parsnips at the market and my toilet rolls. The Parnsips are a lot bigger than the toilet rolls. Do the toilet rolls decompose before the parsnips get to big or do I need to source bigger toilet rolls?

The toilet roll middles break down before they restrict the growing parsnips.

[vicki]

The toilet rolls had gone before it was time to dig the parsnips up.
Theres a picture on our blog (which I must update more regularly!) of the first one we dug up so you can see it worked ok!