[Lulu]

Hi

I am planning to grow my parsnips in loo rolls - I have the loo rolls all set up ready to go, my question is when is the best time to plant the seeds and should you plant a couple per loo roll and thin out later??  Do they stay in the unheated greenhouse or should they be outside??

I only got 3 out of 24 parsnips last year so I thought I would give this a go 

cheers Lulu

[bravemurphy]

I did mine a month ago and they are now ready to go out i germenated them in the house 2 per pot and as soon as they came they went out to the greenhouse.

So i would say now is a good time in an unheated greenhouse a couple per pot.

Its suprising how hot it gets in the greenhouse even today with the sun on it, it got 25C.

[DD.]

bravemurphy - These pots - what sort are they and how deep?

If they're rigid ones and you have to take the parsnips out of them, you've got problems trying not to cause damage to the roots. If they've been in pots for a month could could well have problems with the tap root hitting the bottom, no matter what they're made of.

My seed are still in the packet and will remain so for another month, they will then get sown direct, a pinch of seed every 8", then thinned out.

[mumofstig]

I start mine in the cold greenhouse in 8 inch deep paper pots

Byy the time they have germinated and the 2nd leaf is opening - the tap root has just reached the bottom of the pot and they need planting out immediately, or they will fork.

I haven't sown any yet - and won't until April or even May
It's easy to grow huge parsnips that are too woody to eat when you sow them early, and that's not what I want 

[bravemurphy]

Most of the pots are kitchen roll tubes cut a bit longer than loo rolls and some loo rolls too.

I check one or two daily and as of yet there are no signs of the tap root i have got polythene over the ground where they are to go and cloches ready when i put them out first week of easter (if needed).
I am hoping i can take a few to the local show in the summer.

[BicesterKev]

I've sown carrots and parsnips in newspaper tubes (approx 300 I'd guess). I put them in the cold frame cupboard about a month ago. Not a sign of greenage yet although I know parsnips are slow germinators. Probably should of stuck them in the conservatory for 2 or 3 weeks to aid germination, but there is no room at the inn now with other stuff on the windowsills so they are staying where they are for a few more weeks before being planted out regardless.

[upert]

I sow mine direct in February usually, not this year, in ground I de-stoned. They grow straight and true and are the talk of the allotments.

[Lulu]

Well I took the plunge and put seeds per loo roll ( in the greenhouse) but that leaves me loads of seed to plant direct if they fail.  I usually plant them directly in April so this will interesting to see what happens.

thanks for the contribution everyone

[Growster...]

I start mine in the cold greenhouse in 8 inch deep paper pots

Byy the time they have germinated and the 2nd leaf is opening - the tap root has just reached the bottom of the pot and they need planting out immediately, or they will fork.

I haven't sown any yet - and won't until April or even May
It's easy to grow huge parsnips that are too woody to eat when you sow them early, and that's not what I want 

Agree with everything you say, Mums!

Last year's parsnips (there are still about 20), are just huge, and they were sown in paper pots and planted out in early spring, just as the seed leaves were noticed - any later, and the tap root gets bashed and you get a squonky root.

This year, we'll sow them direct much later, and much closer together, as digging two-foot of root out in winter is not my idea of a seaside trip...

[JayG]

Parsnips - soil temp/days to germination: 0C/172, 5C/57, 10C/27, 15C/19

Current soil temperature (where I live) = 2C 

That's why I usually sow towards the end of April, and still expect to wait up to four weeks before they emerge.

I use the same technique as DD, although I do trowel out the soil at the sowing stations, sieve the stones out, and replace. Never been disappointed with the results, and even got year-old seed to germinate satisfactorily, although I certainly wouldn't push my luck beyond a year.

[savbo]

Having been using 6" Richy pots for 3 years, I have found that even then I was getting forking as they often disintegrated by the time they were ready to plant. So this year I am going to wait til April, dib holes and fill with spent compost (as much to give me a weed-free couple of inches as to give the nips and good start), and sow 2/station...

sav

[Lulu]

Will let you know how it goes 

[Totty]

I have sown 20 Loo tubes with Pinnacle, all germinated now and planted out in very deep bore holes. 20 more direct sown in holes the same size. See how it goes

Totty

[Growster...]

Popped 18 paperpots with about three seeds each today!

Why not, it is getting late in the year and they'll be fine in a frst-free greenhouse...

If they don't work - hey - so what, we'l pop them in direct in a few weeks!

[pdblake]

About half of mine have germinated so far in the cold greenhouse. I have some chitting in wet paper too and about half of those have sprouted so far.