[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Hi Guys,

I've planted 3 rows of parsnips, on 3 occasions, and just had no luck this year.

I was thinking about sowing some in a large tub about 45 litres in the polytunnel or outside in a sheltered sunny spot.

Will I get a snip worth eating?

[surbie100]

Have been warned off sowing snips in 42L trugs as they aren't deep enough.

The back of my packet says to sow until end June.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

OK, i'll have a think about the tub..... 

Do you think it would grow nicely under plastic, or likely to bolt?

[Beetroot Queen]

I am going to sow mine this week not had huge success so far with them.

[surbie100]

OK, i'll have a think about the tub..... 

Do you think it would grow nicely under plastic, or likely to bolt?

No idea, never grown them before. 

[JayG]

Very fiddly to pre-germinate and sow but I did try it last year alongside the usual (late, i.e. around now) outdoor station sowings and it sort of worked (a few 'misses' because I thought the idea was to sow one sprouted seed per station but some didn't make it, so overall I'm not really a convert but it could be worth a try - about 5 days to chit IIRC.)

[Snoop]

I'm about to go for another sowing. I find it difficult to sow direct (clay soil that bakes rock hard in our dry and windy conditions), so I'm going to try Richie's paper pots - there's often a link somewhere at the top of the page but I'm sure a search will turn up the right thread.

I've had success germinating parsnips in paper pots before: they're not the prettiest parsnips, but they are decent and any parsnip is better than no parsnip.

[DD.]

The links at the top of the forum home page rotate every few seconds, so if you wait, it comes around.

Here's the link though:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=11390.0

You'll find it and a whole heap of useful stuff under Growing FAQ's and other Information:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=36.0

[RaptorUK]

Never grown Parsnips before this year,  chitted them on some damp kitchen paper in a plastic airtight box. 

I now have a complete row .  .  . almost, I got a bit carried away weeding one day and pulled a couple of the small Parsnip seedlings      so I have chitted a few more and filled the gaps.

 

[beesrus]

It's not too late Wizzy, but do it now.
I've become pretty proficient with parsnips over the years with the only partial failures being outside direct row sowings. Despite some saying parsnips can't help growing anywhere, controlled germination is definitely the key for those with a string of parsnip failures. You need to have a proper successful year to compare and understand what has been going wrong in the past, and get your own system clear in your head.

Wizzy, if you have a polytunnel, one easy answer is sow three or four seeds per 3 inch poundland peat pots or paper pots in your tunnel. In there, they will germinate within 10 days at this time, no problem, but keep them moist, don't let them dry out too much. Then plant the whole pot outside within 2/3 days of germinating into well prepared soil ( no stones or manure ). Thin down to one snip per position when you can see which seedling is the strongest.
I would personally plant those seedlings outside of a polytunnel once they've germinated as there is no reason to keep them inside. Only the germination bit is crucial and carrot fly tend to not bother them too much at all, and they behave quite stoically once they're out and growing. If you want really consistent cracking parsnips and haven't time to preapre your bed fully, you can always use some sort of big dibber to bore 9 to 12 inches deep and fill with compost underneath each pot. It really doesn't take much compost or any more time than planting out the pots normally. 9 inches apart should be fine.

[surbie100]

If you want really consistent cracking parsnips and haven't time to preapre your bed fully, you can always use some sort of big dibber to bore 9 to 12 inches deep and fill with compost underneath each pot. It really doesn't take much compost or any more time than planting out the pots normally. 9 inches apart should be fine.

I really like that idea, will try it, thanks! I know I'm not Wizzy so it's not aimed at me, but I've never grown them before and I am very fond of snips. 

RaptorUK, those look pretty lovely.

[Markw]

I have just been sowing mine in toilet role tubes for the last three years never had any problams, as soon as there are up just stick them out in the ground. Dont forget if they are half an inch long poking out of the soil the root will be eight times the length