First ever parsnips - YAY

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peanut

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First ever parsnips - YAY
« on: December 05, 2009, 15:57 »
Having had a frost mid-week - and in anticipation of Christmas dinner - I lifted my first parsnip this afternoon.

Oh my god, how hard are they to get out?!?!?

I lifted what I thought was 1 plant - I had put seeds in clusters of 4, having been told probably only 1 will make it - I had all 4. a couple were small but 2 were a good 18" long and smelt divine.

I'm so happy,   and hungry.......and can't wait for Christmas.

It'll be our first full year in February - man I  love having an allotment! :D :D :D
Plot 11L Woodhall allotments, Chelmsford, Essex. 

It's against the law in Australia to fornicate with a kangaroo.................unless you are drunk!!!  Otherwise, it'd be disgusting :@

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New shoot

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2009, 16:11 »
Congrats - here's to you enjoying many more  :D

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Paul Plots

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2009, 16:22 »
My parsnips vanished!  ::)

They vanished from the seed trays, vanished from the paper-pots, vanished from deep-clay pots and didn't appear on the plot in the seed bed.

3 survivors were planted with great care on the plot - marked with short canes and watered.

And........ they vanished!

Congratulations on growing them at all!!
Enjoy!  ;)
Never keep your wish-bone where your back-bone ought to be.

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New shoot

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2009, 16:36 »
I never have much luck germinating the flipping things either Learner. Gave up and tried Salsify a couple of years ago. That grows like weeds if you want an easy root crop  ;)

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Paul Plots

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2009, 16:51 »
I never have much luck germinating the flipping things either Learner. Gave up and tried Salsify a couple of years ago. That grows like weeds if you want an easy root crop  ;)

Salsify - I am sure I have a packet or two in my seed box (given by a mate as they were passed the sell by date). Will it germinate from last year's seed? (I know parsnip rarely does)

I might give it a try as well as one more stab / sprinkle / sift and swear at parsnips next year.

The one year I did have a decent row of parsnips developing my dear sister decided she would pop down and help. I turned around to find she had 'weeded' leaving a lovely neat row of weeds and a pile of pulled up parsnips  >:( Bless her for helping (just the once!!!)

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New shoot

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2009, 16:58 »
Try a few on damp paper towel - they may be OK.  Sounds like you and parsnips are never meant to be  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: 

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Goosegirl

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2009, 17:00 »
Good for you! I would kill my granny (if I had one) for parsnips - roasted in the oven with a melted butter glaze. I fancy trying them with added parmesan and / or some orange zest, or made into a soup with a bit of curry powder added. Yum Yum Yum - so says my tum!!!
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Paul Plots

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2009, 17:03 »
Try a few on damp paper towel - they may be OK.  Sounds like you and parsnips are never meant to be  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: 

Thanks for the idea of paper-towel pre-germination... I've tried that oh so very patiently.

I think that method was responsible for the 3 I managed to germinate this year  :lol:

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Paul Plots

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2009, 17:06 »
Good for you! I would kill my granny (if I had one) for parsnips - roasted in the oven with a melted butter glaze. I fancy trying them with added parmesan and / or some orange zest, or made into a soup with a bit of curry powder added. Yum Yum Yum - so says my tum!!!

Parsnip are wonderful - use a potato peeler to make some thin strips and drop them into hot oil (if you have a deep-fat-frier). Pull them out pretty DQ and you have the most delicious crisps... great to add to a roast dinner or as a nibble at parties (if you go in for that sort of thing!).

Such a shame my three parsnips vanished  :(

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DavidT

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2009, 19:57 »
In the ground, parsnips take about 14 days to germinate. They do not like being transplanted, so atarting in containers is risky. They should be sown, in the ground, about a 1/4" deep about 4" apart, Put 4 0r 5 seeds per station. When they germinate thin to 1 seedling per station. Easy. :D

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Paul Plots

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2009, 00:13 »
In the ground, parsnips take about 14 days to germinate. They do not like being transplanted, so atarting in containers is risky. They should be sown, in the ground, about a 1/4" deep about 4" apart, Put 4 0r 5 seeds per station. When they germinate thin to 1 seedling per station. Easy. :D

Yes I thought that too until they didn't come up after 21 days and then 28 days and then.....

I resowed several times taking care to keep them watered and I didn't sow them too deeply..

Still waiting!  :(

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Fisherman

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2009, 05:31 »
Try sowing parsnip seeds called Gladiator. Like carrots they need good fine soil not freshly manured. Wait until the soil warms up in March / April before sowing and or cover with a cloche. Don't sow old seed its a waste of time as the germination rates are very poor. They also need to be sown direct as they hate transplanting. I sowed some at the end of April and the thinnings were good to eat at the end of August. Looks like the remaining crop will last into January.

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lacewing

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2009, 08:58 »
I agree with Fisherman, I used to follow the sowing times on the packet, with very poor germination results, until one year I was late sowing and did'nt get then in until late April. I had the best parsnips ever that year. I now have 80% germination every time, from late April sowing. It is also very important to use fresh seeds.
There is no better show of antisipation than a man sowing seeds in a field.

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Goosegirl

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2009, 16:39 »
I second that - I sow late and they seem to germinate better. I have used unopened packets of seed and they germinate ok.

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JayG

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Re: First ever parsnips - YAY
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2009, 17:22 »
I'd definitely go with the "use fresh seed and sow late" brigade, but I actually made an extra row this year from the thinnings and they grew just as well as those sown direct.
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

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