Various Vegetable Growing Issues!

[mat]

There are various types of modules available - I find the best for parsnips are Rootrainers, like here https://www.rootrainers.co.uk/rootrainers/
The point of them is that the seedlings can grow good roots before planting out, and then get less disturbance when you do plant them out, as opposed to a normal pot. They cost a bit, unfortunately, but they last for years.

[nickdub]

There are various types of modules available - I find the best for parsnips are Rootrainers, like here https://www.rootrainers.co.uk/rootrainers/
The point of them is that the seedlings can grow good roots before planting out, and then get less disturbance when you do plant them out, as opposed to a normal pot. They cost a bit, unfortunately, but they last for years.

Not used them myself, but look like a reasonable idea. Don't reckon it would be too hard to make something functionally similar if you started with a small plastic water bottle, cut off the bottom and sliced vertically most of the way down opposite sides.

[veggiechicken]

I've never got on with Rootrainers - find them too fiddly to open and close without losing all the compost. It was an expensive mistake.

[Kirk]

Another who cannot get a carrot to appear. Last year my biggest carrot was about 2cm in length, and that literally was the biggest. They were in for several months. Going to (foolishly) try again this year, have decided to try Eskimo variety. Mine were in a veg bed, this years humorous attempt will be also. I dug the bed over to a good depth so should not have a firm layer to cause problems.

Potatoes I gave up with in the ground. Last lot in the ground gave about 6 feet of greenery and nothing that could really be called a potato.
I grow mine in large pots now, mix of either 50/50 compost and manure or 2 parts compost and 1 part manure. Both seem fairly successful. Will say I tend to grow the salad varieties like Anya and PFA. A 50-60cm pot and 3 or 4 potatoes in. To harvest I just plunge a hand in and feel around. Container ghrowing has been much more successful then ground.

Parsnips: had half reasonable success, they have always been in the ground, again dug well and manured for these. They do need to be sown early, and left to grow and harvested effectively later in the year. They need time. If sowing now you could actually be late. Last years were semi successful but I kept moving things - didn't really give them much chance.

For parsnips maybe look at a variety called Guernsey, they are shorter. Just waiting for mine to show signs of germination.

If you have yet to select varieties then maybe consider Moreveg, I am about to order 10 different items, as they specialise in smaller sort of garden quantities the general cost is about 50p a pack. Expenditure is going to be around £6 for the lot - the squash cost more. Price is good but more then that the quantities suit a garden. Think Simply Seeds do similar.

[Chippy Minton]

Lots of good advice here, can't grow carrots to save my life, normal year is sow 2 full packets of seeds, one early, the other later, get nothing (slugs cropping early I think), give up, grow something else. Luckily I'm not a fan of the home grown carrot (too carroty for me, I know I'll fetch my coat).....

Potatoes with scab are OK to eat, just peel them. I find the first earlies in tubs don't suffer quite so badly.

One tip for parsnips, from my ex-boss and always works for me to give straight snips. Take a pole (I have an old railing) push it in to about 6-9 inches, swirl it around to make a cone shape, fill with compost, sow the snips on top, lightly cover, pray to the parsnip gods for good germination. If they grow (and they are fickle) you should get snips the shape of the hole. As I say worked for me and I always do it this way now. In fact where's that railing......