parsnip in modules

[Pumpkin Becki]

I agree with Alison and shadylane, I've never struggled with parsnips germination when direct sewn. I sew a row of carrots next to my parsnips, walk away and let them get on with it. Bingo! I can't be doing with bits of damp kitchen roll, I'd forget to re-damp them and it would all go horribly wrong. Keep it simple, that's my motto.

[Bigmallly]

I can't be doing with bits of damp kitchen roll, I'd forget to re-damp them and it would all go horribly wrong. Keep it simple, that's my motto.

Each to there own Becki, I prefer to sow in individual pots so that seeds are not wasted & I don't have to thin them out.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Each to there own Becki, I prefer to sow in individual pots so that seeds are not wasted & I don't have to thin them out.

absolutely, no offence intended, hope I didn't come off as really pompous. I just think that sometimes stories of parsnips being awkward to grow from direct sewings are accepted too readily by others. Maybe I'm just lucky, but as I've said before, if you try something and it goes horribly wrong, its only the price of a handful of seeds you've wasted. I'm going to duck out of this thread now, I've got in trouble for parsnips before. I wish you all every success, whichever method you choose.

[Bren In Pots]

A friend at work who's got an allotment sews direct without any problems but I grow in containers so space is precious I have to pre-chit and use tubes.

So it really is each to their own.

[Bigmallly]

So it really is each to their own.

Absoloutley, no offence taken Becki..........Come back.....

[realfood]

It is important to use fresh seed each year for the best germination.

[Snadger]

.....................I have just found that some of the stray seeds from a plant I let bolt last year have actually germinated and are looking quite healthy. I mean, wot's that all about.

Be interesting to see if you get some early parsnips if you leave them?

[solway cropper]

Seems a bit odd to sow in loo rolls then transplant to Morrisons buckets. I sow mine direct into the Morrisons buckets in March in an unheated greenhouse and put them outside once they're up and running. I thin them to leave 8 or 9 per bucket and have had fantastic results. The reason I don't sow in the ground is that I'm the only one who eats them so I don't need that many.

[snakeshack]

I direct sow parsnip seed mixed with radish,this year I had 4 rows,3 came up with no gaps the other didn't show at all .the radishes mark the rows and also give a protected micro climate for the parsnips and are of course long gone before the parsnips are ready

[Alison]

I did the parnsip and radish thing last year and it worked well to mark out the row of parsnips but I didn't think through how many radish I'd end up with at the same time, was no way I could keep up and a lot of them bolted. Also,don't let children pull the raddish, they also pulled some of the tiny parsnips seedlings.

[roitelet]

I have used 2/3 of a kitchen paper roll for Parsnips and was very successful. This year however due to circumstances beyond my control I didn't start them that way. As I was very late sowing (early May) them they went straight in the ground on the top of a funnel shaped hole filled with fine soil. 6 seeds or so to a station, and it was not fresh seed. Last years I think. Germination not good but I did get one per station. I lifted the first one the other day and it was huge about 6ins across the top and about 18 ins long straight as a die.

Think that next year I will go for later sowing direct in the ground

[bravo2zero]

Personally i dont bother but go for the safety in numbers. I double the amount of seed sown direct at an appropriate time ie not february or march but mid april. It always amazes me when people moan about poor germination when its their fault for sowing into poorly prepared cold wet soil with old seed, its a recipe for disaster. Tender and True and Gladiator F1 do well on my soil.

[zazen999]

This year, I sowed some into peat pots and put them into 2 big buckets; but my main parsnip sowing was done April/May time. I dug over a square bed, and forked some sand in [I have thick clay on the lottie], and sowed the seeds [the remainder of the packet that I had used for the peat pots]. Then, I mulched with sawdust. I kept it weeded for a while as the seedlings progressed and started harvesting about 4 weeks ago. Some of them have been a good 8 inches long and lovely and pointy. Last night's was a good 4 inches wide. Yum.

I say, just prepare the bed well and sow when it is warm. Weed carefully and leave them all to it.

[Dynamo]

My parsnip sowing and growing is definately more miss than hit. The first ones I grew I started them off in kitchen towel and out of about 30, I got 5. Later in the year I planted about 50 seeds straight into the ground, though because my soil is so fine, I added a load of compost and also a load of magic crystals to keep it nice and moist, and out of the 50 I got two plants.

Next year I'm going to try a couple of methods, including the toilet roll tube one. I'll use the full length of the tube so that the root gets a longer go at growing before I plant them on. I'll also do the kitchen paper one seeing as I had a modicum of success with that this year.

[lynda66]

I usually use the loo roll method too and I have had great success. Thanks to advice found on here I have never tried to sow straight into the garden - however...
I have just found that some of the stray seeds from a plant I let bolt last year have actually germinated and are looking quite healthy. I mean, wot's that all about.

apparently nature knows best fresh seeds and soil they do it all by themselvesa given the chance