parsnip in modules

[Ken the Chef]

I managed to get some old plastic flower tubs from Teso, the ones they display in and they are deep, deeper than the B&Q buckets. I planted about 25 seeds in it and managed just 6 plants. The groth was so long that the tails twisted like a pigs tail so it was quite funny pulling to find a twist rather than a fork.
I see someone else has picked up on the kitchen roll centers; plenty of depth there for the germination.

[Bigmallly]

I see someone else has picked up on the kitchen roll centers; plenty of depth there for the germination.

Deffinately, they are also good for carrots if you have the time & patience......

[Edwardo82]

Well personally I still have some snips growing on the allotment, which I pick as and when I want some. Also you can freeze a few to keep you going.

I reckon sowing directly into the ground is the best with snips, too many things growing in modules just becomes a struggle. I have made seperate raised beds for carrots and parsnips this year trying to eliminate stones.

If you really want to get going earlier get some going in some containers maybe.

[chriscross1966]

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

I'll be testing that advice come the spring with some 2-year old seed....

chrisc

[Pompeylottie]

I had 5 years of poor germination with direct sowing, this year I sowed in toilet roll inner tubes and 29 out of 30 germinated. Definatley using toilet rolls again.

[lynda66]

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

i did try an august sowing last year, those were the ones which went to seed this year ... all of em, before they really grew parsnip bits, but then we did have that early cold spell, this year theres been no frost yet, the self seeded ones have a decent amount of leaf and are sprouting madly ..... so hopefully they may get bigger earlier ... i must go check and see lol

[lynda66]

oh yeah for those of you growing them well however, be aware parsnips can actually take over a month to germinate.

[reetnproper]

I grew parsnips for the first time this year and sowed them directly into raised beds, over a period of 3 weeks.

Having heard nightmare stories about poor germination and seed rotting etc, I waited until mid-April to sow the first bed, working on the premis that seeds don't generally like cold/freezing, sodden ground and if the weather is better, the seed will do better .

A month or so later the first seedlings appeared.

Now I have a fabulous crop of parsnips which I'm digging as needed. Yesterdays Sunday Roast was blessed with home grown carrots, from a crop I sowed, in covered tubs, late August and which are now happily growing in the greenhouse, french and runner beans (blanched during summer) and a whopping 17oz parsnip which had an amazing flavour.

My parsnips have done so well, they have grown down through the 1 ft depth of the raised bed into the hardcore beneath - they're damn hard to lift but worth it.

Reet
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