[new_2_veg]

hi,

been told that loads of my fellow plot holders have sown there parsnip seeds now so as it seams to be safe im thinking about sowing mine.

no one realy seams to want to say how they grow theres (im one of the only new guys on our site) and most the old hands dont like being helpfull.

i have new seed, and a freshly dug patch ready to go.

i just wondered is it right that i should sow a pinch of seed at every spacing? and also what spacings are best for parsnips, plant to plant and rows etc?

many thanks and sorry if this is posted anywhere i did do a serch and couldnt find anything.

nathan

[smurf]

Hi
Got my seeds today im going to start them off in the cold frame for a couple of weeks just to give them a fighting chance.
They should be ok straight in the ground but beware incase we get another frost

On the packet it says "sow thinly into warm moist soil 1/2 inch deep in rows 12 inches apart  from sowing to cropping 28 weeks"

Hope that helps a bit

[Trillium]

If doing rows, then 12" apart for rows would be enough. The seeds themself, I put one every 4-6" apart and cover with just a bit of soil so it won't blow away and can easily come through. When the temps are right, the seed will germinate. If you're short of rain, water occasionally to get them germinated. To be sure of germination, you could put 2 seeds per spot then pull out the 2nd if and when it germinates. If you think frost is expected, just put a row cover sheet over the bed for the night or few days. They require very little care other than weeding.

[new_2_veg]

If doing rows, then 12" apart for rows would be enough. The seeds themself, I put one every 4-6" apart and cover with just a bit of soil so it won't blow away and can easily come through. When the temps are right, the seed will germinate. If you're short of rain, water occasionally to get them germinated. To be sure of germination, you could put 2 seeds per spot then pull out the 2nd if and when it germinates. If you think frost is expected, just put a row cover sheet over the bed for the night or few days. They require very little care other than weeding.

thanks very much, just what i wanted to hear

thanks

nathan

[Aidy]

In all the years I have had a plot, around fifteen, this is my first time with snips. I did secret spying on Mick next door, he grows the most amazing snips. His method is to fill a row with multi compost, about an inch thick, soak the seed overnight and as mentioned above sow two seeds per spacing, lightly cover with top soil and water in. I will be watching when he doe's his drill.

[new_2_veg]

In all the years I have had a plot, around fifteen, this is my first time with snips. I did secret spying on Mick next door, he grows the most amazing snips. His method is to fill a row with multi compost, about an inch thick, soak the seed overnight and as mentioned above sow two seeds per spacing, lightly cover with top soil and water in. I will be watching when he doe's his drill.

thanks aidy,

any idea if he does his about this time ?

thanks

nathan

[Aidy]

Knowing Mick, he probably did one night when we were sleeping  He tends to get things in early, for instance all this weekend he has been planting his spuds, he has either very green fingers or the luck of the Irish, yes he is Irish. No idea when he will do it this year but I suspect very soon. Anne who is my other neighbour did hers around April last year, and she had some good ones, the last three came up on Sunday.

[DavidT]

Nathan, the usual time for sowing parsnips is February, as the ground wasn`t right last month get them in now. Take out a drill ( a narrow groove in the soil ), sow the seeds about 2 or 3 to a station, each station about 4 " apart. When the seedlings are big enough thin out to one per station. When the remainder are big enough to use as "baby " parsnips thin out every other one to leave a final spacing of 8".

[titch]

my first ones last year didnt go in til end of april and some ofthem were as big as my head ....so i shall do the same this year i think (and hope that i pull them before they get quite that big as they took some digging out  )

[Yorkie]

Mine never go in till April - although Feb is the often-stated time for sowing, it's far too cold and wet for germination I find

[Janeymiddlewife]

I've just sown mine today  They don't like having their roots disturbed, so most people either sow direct, or put them in Richy's paper pots, so they can just be dropped in without disturbance. I do similar to david T; try to remove as many stones as you can, or if you've got really stony soil, grow them in barrels or deep raised beds if you don't like them misshapen or stunted. Don't use manure or they'll fork like crazy, as will carrots & beets. I just water the drill first lightly to help them stick, then cover them with fine soil & compost. They can take a long time to come through, so some people sow radish next to them as a marker, I just leave the string marker on the ground so I don't forget where I've put them.
Hope that helps,
JMW - this year I've grown a lot more, as I ran out in December!

[DeadlyNightshade]

I cant remember when I sowed them last year so I tried them under a fleece this weekend (no idea if this makes any sense, but i just HAD to sow something). But unlike others I dont thin out at all, neither with carrots nor beetroot.

Last year's crop got next to no light and little space (yes, u can take companion planting too far ) but I still got a decent enough crop, last ones harvested 2 weeks ago and up to 20 cm long- the bit thats worth eating thickness wise

[paul47]

HI I am another newby. Last year as I was late I put some seeds on a wet tissue & when they showed signs of sprouting I put them (2 per)  into a cardboard tube (toilet roll holder) filled with compost. I did this as germination can be
a) slow
b) not always successful
c) a warm windowsill or sheltered position seems to help

WHEN PLANTS WERE 3" TALL I planted out 8" apart in the tubes & removed extra plants so there was only one per tube
This worked for me suggest you try planting direct AND my method as there are plenty of seeds in each packet. I did read that keeping seed one year to the next may be a false economy as germination rates decrease by 50%  each year

[bigben]

Another thing to consider is to try to give them stone free soil to grow in. I dug a trough last year and sieved what I took out, mixed in some sand and replaced it they seemed to appreciate it with only a few forking.

[Cheshire Phill]

I'm going to sow in the next few days...it has been really dry here for the last two weeks and we are due rain at the weekend. I've got some in rootrainers already (1-2" high in cold greenhouse), and am planting some in v sandy soil in a half barrel soon.

Will try the "crowbar" method myself this year in the soil, making a hole and filling with a seived sharp sand/compost mix, operhaps 2-3 seeds every 6" or so.

Am keeping all under a 2ft wide fleece tunnel this year, as last year decimated by carrot fly...though I did discover 3 underground when digging over recently...nearly 18" long, so proves they will grow in my soil at least!! Delicious too!!

I'm going with Albion, Avonresister and Tender and True this year...

Good luck!

Phill