B*****Y nips

[roitelet]

Sowed in May last and had a great crop. This year sowed in March and they are OK. re-sowed in June ('cos the book said so) now waiting to see what happens. The latest sowing hasn't germinated yet!

[Shadylane]

I'd post some pics of my amazing parsnips and their lush foliage which is now about two feet tall but that would just be rubbing salt into the wounds

Seriously, I've made successional sowings since March and the earliest ones had the much better germination. I wonder if they have an optimum temperature for germination. The March sowings gave almost 100 percent but by early May this had dropped to about 60 percent from the same seed packet.

There is definitely something in this. Last year I sowed in March, the neighbours told me it was a bit early but I carried on anyway. I had absolutely loads, a ridiculous amount. They had to re sow as their later sown ones didn't come up and generously admitted mine had put theirs to shame.

I read on the Vine someone (I believe Two Sheds) had sown some March and some later. The March ones came up the later ones didn't.

This year to avoid the nasty cankerous blemishes I got last year I sowed later. Much later. Some I pre-chitted, some I didn't but I haven't had any where near as much germination as last year.

I also recall someone else on here saying that they always leave their seeds in the cold shed for a few weeks in order to break their dormancy.

Coincidence? I think not.
Next year I may try a wee experiment.

[womble]

I'm wondering if it's something to do with moisture, more in the early part of the year?
At my 2nd (or 3rd, not sure) sowing there was a definite lack of rain about and I wasn't up to watering them

[Shadylane]

Yes that's a good point, it could be water. May be I'll that aspect to the experiment Then again I probably will not get round to it