Staffordshire - too early/cold to plant parsnip seeds?

[toby6668]

Hello. I noticed on a 'what to plant this month' Ap thing that it is ok to plant parsnip seed now as they are 'frost hardy'. Can anyone concur with this? I am desperate to get going with this years vegging...but am mindful of my urge to do too much too soon!

Also wondering if it's ok for parsnips....is it ok for carrots too!?

Newbie question I know...grateful for any advice.

Thanks,

Toby

[bearded bloke]

Interesting one this,the plant is frost hardy but is the seed ,according to this (Germination tables from Heirloom Seeds - Know when to plant all your vegetables.) the optimum soil temperature for germination is 70 degrees F for parsnips & 75 for carrots.Are you planting them direct into soil outside or in a greenhouse/polytunnel ?

[Nicos]

I suppose in theory you could sow the seeds directly in the soil now as in nature they would have fallen from the plant in the Autumn.
Thing is, they may well rot or be eaten by birds/mice .

Personally I wouldn't risk it!
As BB says, they won't germinate until their optimal germinating temperature is met.

[Madasafish]

Toby
I live in N Staffs. My experience of early planting is that rain, frost and snow in Feb/March either kills seeds or washes them away. I plant no seeds in the ground before April - and then only covered by cloches.
Hope that helps.

[lottie dolly]

After thinking about this one,I am going to have a little experiment with a few seeds,germinate a few in a warm place,on some tissue,then transfer to a long kitchen towel tube,then only plant out when the soil is suitable,roll and all,just tear a bit of card from the top,so it will not act like a wick,after hardening off,loo roll middles are to short for the tap root,

[toby6668]

Thanks everyone. I like the idea of the kitchen roll tubes. Will also heed the advice about frost, rain, mice and birds!

Thanks again! :-)


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[Whitespin]

Last year because of the late spring I planted my parsnip seed (Gladiator) in sweet pea tubes in the greenhouse at the end of March. On the plot I always make a tapered hole with a crowbar fill the hole with compost and plant 3 seeds into that thinning down to one after germination. Anyway nearly all the seed germinated and when the weather improved I planted them out tube and all. I have got an excellent crop, the parsnips are somewhat squat but with only two of us one root does two meals.

Another tip given to us by a friend of my wife is to cook some parsnip when cooking chips in the deep fat fryer. Not very good for the waist but delicious.

[Two_Sheds]

the optimum soil temperature for germination is 70 degrees F

I plant no seeds in the ground before April

Same here. People think carrots are "hardy" but they actually need warmth to germinate. Same for parsnips