Parsnip germination

[Pippin]

`Chitting` parsnip seed is`nt really a chore as it only takes a few minutes doing each stage.

Nor is it really termed transplanting as you are only breaking the seeds dormancy in a controlled way. You are just waiting for that small white tip to appear then off into the growing medium it goes.

Here are some pictures I took this morning.

Pippin

[Pottypotter]

I am so jealous pippin mine have been in toilet rolls for what seem months now, and only one seedling showing.

[Birdie Wife]

I had quite good success with my parsnips this year by station sowing three or four seeds to a station, first dibbing a wee hole for them, pouring hot water from the kettle into the hole and then the seeds on top, then covered with a little soil.

[Alice]

Hello Jane, you could make newspaper rolls without bottoms. Just use a straight sided tumbler, or loo roll, and roll the newspaper round that and fasten with a little bit of sticky paper.

[Alice]

Hello Pippin, thanks for the pics. Everything looks fabulous. Any tips? I think i can see fleece in the background there. Do you provide fleece tents for the young seedlings ? Or what ?
The weather has gone off a bit here - wet and windy - so I made this little tent for some outdoor cucumbers and squash I'm starting to harden off. Seems to be working well.

[Waffler]

I'm so excited! Last year I direct-sowed parsnip seeds and got no seedlings at all. Having read about people starting them on damp kitchen paper then transplanting to loo rolls, I decided to sow the seeds in the loo rolls and keep those damp (can't quite remember why now!) Anyway, with all this dry weather, it proved very difficult to keep the soil moist, so I'd pretty much given up and yesterday started a load on kitchen roll; today I went out and I have 10 parsnip seedlings! Yippee!! I'm wondering whether the rain we've had overnight and this morning was just enough to wake them up. Fingers crossed I don't lose them now!

[Pippin]

Hi Alice,

The fabric you can see in the background is in fact called Wondermesh - a close woven nylon netting.

I like to grow in raised beds as they are easy to manage and can be grown more intensly. Here is a photo of two of my raised beds - as you can see they also lend themselves to be easily be covered. This photo is showing the Wondermesh.

This also means that in the winter I can cover with polythene to make a mini poly-tunnel.

The mesh is essentially an insect barrier but it allows water and light through and also give wind protection plus some protection from frost.

Pippin

[vertangie]

I start my parsnips off by `chitting` them.

I place a layer of damp paper kitchen toweling in the base of an ice cream tub (having scoffed the the ice cream first) then sprinkle the parsnip seed over the toweling.

I lay another piece of damp toweling on top of the seed and just gently press it down to sandwich the seeds.

Put the lid back on and place it in your airing cupboard or some such place.

After about 4 or 5 days start checking the seeds - peal the top layer back - and when you see a little white piece of the root begin protruding from a seed (wait for several) start to plant them in pots. As mentioned above, I use loo roll inners as these give the roots a good straight run. I then plant them into a cone shaped hole I have made using an iron bar plunged into the bed and rotated. I fill the hole with compost.

Mine have been planted out now for several weeks and are about nine inches tall.

Pippin

That sounds like such a great idea. I planted out about 10 seeds direct into the ground last year, nothing appeared to happen so I gave up. Went back to weed the area and discovered that one of my so called weeds was a parsnip, I ended up with 5 parsnips.

That was my first year with a garden so I just wanted to see what I could grow where so judging from what I've read here I've been lucky. I didn't get around to putting the seeds in the ground until June either.

I thought I'd left it too late this year but if I do the chitting method do you think I could take the delicate little sprouted seeds and directly transplant them into the ground. Would you cover with something if you did. How deep would you plant them.

Sorry to ask such newbie questions, but well I'm a newbie. If I get any up I'll share my parsnip bake recipe with all who want it I promise.

This is my first post to the forum. I have a lot of reading to do.

Thanks

Angie

[Pippin]

Hi Angie,

No it is not too late if you start now.

Parsnips sown in the normal way are notorious for taking a long time to germinate and this means there is more chance of the seed rotting or being adversly affected in some way.

Growing veg is great fun because there are many ways to skin a cat and you can experiment until you find out what works for you. So many people are willing to give their `secrets` away in this forum that you will become a pro in no time - just go out and do it.

Parsnips need a deep soil that does not have too many stones or is freshly manured as the roots can fork. If your soil is stoney or heavy clay then push a bar in like I described above and fill it with a peat compost from a garden center or your own if you have a compost heap.

You can certainly plant the chitted seed into their final growing position but I would sow them into a bed of peat if you are not going to do the `make a hole` thing with a bar - again just keep the experimenting going.

Do`nt forget once you see the small white protrusion showing from the seed consider sowing it - it won`t matter if the sowing is staggered over several days.

Remember! the only question that cannot be answered, is the one that is not asked. So ask away - someone will have a handle on it... maybe!

Pippin

[Paulottie]

Welcome Angie, I agree, I don't think that it should be a secretive thing, I am so happy if I can see others succeed. Your Parsnips look great Pippin, I like your propagation set up all you say is true... But why so early? do you show them? Parsnips don't sweeten until the first frosts and there are so many other veg about before then anyway.

I'm with LJ on this one- although I had a poor row last year, I have three separate perfect rows this year with barely a miss. Its not hard...I wait till suitable weather then I put multi purpose up the drill to mark it, reduce initial weeds, and stop capping and I water a little every day to keep bed damp. Parsnip seed does not store well use fresh.

I tried the chitting thing with a neighbour at the same time...what a palava, not enough hours in a day. Hate bog roll method never enough and they go slimey. Crow bar method ok-three seeds in each hole and thin- but then if your soil is that unsuitable i'd suggest a dustbin or similar.

[vertangie]

Hi Vertangie! Welcome on board!! You must post your parsnip bake recipe for everyone to try in the Season To Taste section - please!!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. As you will see I really do love parsnips.

Here's my recipe, that requires quite a few of them. It's based on an old 70's dish but has had 15 years improvement. It's my fave comfort food now. Forget green and blacks chocolate I'd personally take this every time.

Parsnip Molly Parkin - Angies style

Enjoy... But not for those on low carb or no fat diets (although only uses a knobs of butter, a little cream and some olive oil. can be reduced it you really have to

[tinyvine]

I have had virtually no luck at all this year, tried 3 varieties, sowed 60 seeds, have 4 seedlings at 3 leaf stage but still tiny. Definately going to try this as thought I had missed my window of opportunity. Thanks for all the great tips!

[peanut]

Its not hard...I wait till suitable weather then I put multi purpose up the drill to mark it, reduce initial weeds, and stop capping and I water a little every day to keep bed damp. Parsnip seed does not store well use fresh.

Sorry to sound stupid but what is capping?

[moggssue]

I also thought I was too late now to resow parsnip since the first lot haven't appeared - how far into the season do you think it's reasonable to sow? I have stony soil, but its a new bed with lots of added topsoil so should be nutritious I hope. I'm going to take your advice and try the bar in the soil method, but can I still 'chit' first this late into the year? If so, do I have to keep the kitchen towel in the dark,and then plant outside as soon as I see a tiny root? Sorry to be so dim all! Pippin - I'm totally inspired by your photos. And good luck to all for a bumper crop of parsnips this year!

[Pippin]

The chitting method will cause the seed to germinate quicker so there is plenty of time.

I put mine in the airing cupboard because it is convenient and warm - never tried it in the light. Why don`t you experiment and try some in the light and the dark - and good look.

Capping is when the top layer of soil develops into a hard crust when it is drying out. This can resist the emerging seedlings - hence keep the surface damp.

Pippin