why are my parsnips carrots?

[madderbat]

The title of this should be 'Madderbat Does it Again'!

Back in March I carefully planted a whole load of parsnip seeds into toilet roll holders and was thrilled when they germinated - looking forward to Parsnip Wine this Autumn.
Because it was my first go at parsnips, and the seeds looked a bit like carrot seeds, I didn't think anything more of it. Until now.
Down on the lottie, furtling round, noticed the parsnip top growth looked a bit orange and investigated. From the whole packet I appear to have had three rows of carrots and 8 parsnip plants!

I'm not going to ask what I did wrong (apart from not identifying the initial foliage) but wonder - Has this happened to anyone else (or is it just me)???

[shirlthegirl43]

Goodness, that sounds like a real mystery. Hope you like carrots.

[madderbat]

Yes, all is not lost, but am checking carrot wine....

[TPeers]

Had a pack of PSB that grew up illegal (and inedible ) there was, according to the seed company a slight mix up and instead of PSB I had some form of green manure which had been 'mis-packaged'. They did send a replacement pack of PSB (correct seed) so I just got a late crop and some interesting purple flowered Californian thingy for Mum to paint.

Not a total loss.

[rustylady]

Are you sure you didn't just mix your labels up? I've done it loads of times. We had carrots last year that were supposed to be lettuce!!

[vicpivo]

My "Sprouting Broccoli", look mysteriously like Savoy Cabbage. I blame the wife for going into the potting shed earier this year and swapping the seeds over and not telling me.

Good job I like cabbage!

[graham1968]

sounds like my fennall put about 20 in to start off in the greenhouse planted out when they was ready and got raddishs it was a bit of a shock

[Nicos]

Your orange 'parsnip' aren't a new colourful variety are they????!

I think my cabbage are sprouts and my sprouts are cabbage!!!! Time will tell no less!

[pixie]

I've been nurturing what I thought were cucmbers in the grrenhouse, only to realise they are corgettes - presumably I got in a muddle with seeds / labels at some point!

[Sue]

Not liking the french "pencil pod" beans as much as the flat ones, I carefully sowed a rown of Tendergreen, now three of them have turned out to be pencil pod with a bluey mottled skin. I didn't buy any other dwarf beans so there must have been a mix-up.
Sue

[roitelet]

Hi Madderdat,

Just for your info, Parsnip seeds are flat and sort of roundish and quite large and carrots are small and slightly comma shaped. If you have a mix if the two in the packet then I would moan LOUDLY to the seed company.

Happy gowing

[Seahorse]

I had a record germination of aubergine seeds this year... until they mysteriously began to resemble strawberries

*note to self, pay more attention when allowing under tens to help with labelling*

Claire

[Cutecumber]

LOL! These are great stories! Love it!

I've only had failures, sadly, no strange surprises.

But there's still time...!

[Headfry]

I sowed 2nd lot of sprouts as first lot seemed not to germinate.....
came up as leeks.......had 100's of them. how does this happen
must be the seed pixies at work