[Plot74]

Can parsnips get cub root ?
I dug a couple up today and one was the ugliest thing I have seen all knotted the other which was next to it was slightly deformed but nowhere near as ugly as the first.
If it is club root are they still ok to use?
John

[Elmarto]

I don't think parsnips are affected by club root, I think it might be in the soil preparation, either too stony or too rich or maybe a bit compacted?

I read about growing show parsnips to use a crow bar and make a hole in the soil and fill with compost, that would be for next year of course!

[DD.]

They cannot get club root. It only affects the brassica family.

[MyAchingBack]

I read about growing show parsnips to use a crow bar and make a hole in the soil and fill with compost, that would be for next year of course!

Same for carrots?

[solway cropper]

I now grow my carrots and parsnips in containers of finely sifted compost with excellent results. Six and a half pounds of parsnips from one 10 litre flower bucket aint bad.

[Elmarto]

I read about growing show parsnips to use a crow bar and make a hole in the soil and fill with compost, that would be for next year of course!

Same for carrots?

I guess so, possibly wouldn't have to be as wide a hole, might be worth a try!

[rowlandwells]

Ive  been thinking about growing parsnips in large peat pots next year next year and as said making a hole with a bar filling it with compost putting my peat pot in the compost filled hole

as Ive been told if you let the roots come through the bottom of pot  then they will fork so having a large peat pot 2 seeds per pot thinning down to 1 planting out before the roots have a chance to reach the bottom of the pot 

i don't know if i should cut the bottom of the peat pot prior to planting out i know the pots will be a cost but if it proves a success then surly its worth it 

[AlaninCarlisle]

I've messed around with parsnips in peat pots for too long and belatedly concluded it was an expensive way of growing distorted and fanged roots. This year I delayed sowing into open ground until mid May, had good germination and my parsnips are huge and well shaped

[solway cropper]

I think Alan's right about delaying sowing. Although seed packets often say they can be sown in February this is far too early in my opinion, certainly in this part of the world. My first ones are sown in the greenhouse in mid/late March but I wouldn't sow outside till well into April. I suspect that, in addition to hitting obstacles, stress can also cause forking.

Consider also that the tap root grows much faster than the top growth and will hit the bottom of a shallow container long before you think it will.

[Elmarto]

I have never bothered using pots, but I don't sow many. I station sowed at about 3inch intervals in April. I have lots of smaller parsnips which I find more useful!

[rowlandwells]

i think you've converted me before i start parsnips in peat pots it sounds like direct sowing are a better option

so make a hole with a bar fill it with compost 2 seeds per station around mid may good replies well worth giving it a try

thanks all

[MegC1991]

A trick we use, it works on carrots and parsnips, is if you fill a plastic crate with soil and compost, and then fill it with a load of empty toilet rolls, you can plant your carrots and parsnips in there!