monster parsnips

[bretty666]

Hi all...i would appreciate any advice on how to grow a few monster size parsnips..my ground is shallow and heavy soil..i had thought of growing some in 100mm diameter pipe placed in the ground vertically and filling with a mix of soil and sand and then watering only the base to make the plant go deep for the water??? Is this anywhere near a good idea???

[Bill HH]

Here u go....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WRXfTz0BiY

[bretty666]

Thanks for that bill.......is that you in the video?

[Bill HH]

Thanks for that bill.......is that you in the video?

Hahaha no that is Dan, he has made video's on many aspects of gardening, you could do worse than watch them all. Ifind him very practical and full of knowledge.

[solway cropper]

My soil is derived from boulder clay and very stony so for the last 4/5 years I've grown all my parsnips in deep tubs with bottom cut out and placed on the plot soil. The potting mix is sieved compost, top soil with sharp sand and a bit of BFB. I don't grow monsters but I have managed 3kg of snips from a plastic flower bucket.

[chilli_grower]

Dans videos are awesome, I can't believe he is not on here????? Or is he?

One of his recent videos showing his new tiller in the polytunnel was very funny!

[Bill HH]

Yes he is, I have seen him post twice in 12 months, i guess he is just too busy.

[Kristen]

Hi all...i would appreciate any advice on how to grow a few monster size parsnips..

Do you want them to Show or to Eat? Personally I think there is a difference as (I assume - but have no knowledge) that monster 'Snips are not that great to eat on a number of counts - lots of "hard core", to be chopped out at the least, a nightmare to get out of the ground (or very expensive to grow in best-quality-compost in huge oil drums ), and you'd need an army of friends around to consume even just the one

For ones good to eat I would make a decent cone-shaped hole in the ground, e.g. with a crowbar, fill that with fine soil (sift your soil, and then add 25-50% sand), and then plant 2 or 3 seeds in each "station" and carefully thin them once they have germinated (make sure you get all-bar-one otherwise a pair will grow in a deadly embrace and be a nightmare to peel!)

If you want to Show them then going to the ends of the earth in pursuit of that is fine ... although, to my mind, a slightly different hobby to growing-from-eating.

[bretty666]

Hi kristen..i just wanted to attempt aboit 3 just for my own curiosity and playfulness and ti show them on here

[Kristen]

i just wanted to attempt aboit 3 just for my own curiosity and playfulness and ti show them on here

Excellent! Good luck with that and I look forward to seeing them. I reckon you need to grow them in an oil drum then Mind you ... all I have done in that regard is to watch, and be amazed by, videos of people that do that.

[Scarlet]

My parsnips always grow fairly large. I have heavy clay soil, always a crop that's done well for me.

[bretty666]

Wowsers!!!! Nice one scarlet!! That just looks unattainable for me though! I get a good crop of decent size ones but yours!!! Its either very big or your a hobbit!

[Scarlet]

Hmmm, well I am a little on the short side!!

[roitelet]

Don't forget monster is fine but you have to get them out of the ground!