[muckyboots]

Hi, just dug up some of my parsnips,I should not have bothered, small and stunted .This is my second attempt but same result,I let the wife plant the second lot to see if was just me,it usually is.Is it possible that they just dont like my soil ?I'v fed and watered em,soil is a bit on the clay side with compost dug in , beetroot isn't much better.Any help greatfully recieved.

[DD.]

Could be the clay soil, but I never feed or water parsnips or carrots.

If they can find what they need near the surface, they're not inclined to put down deep roots.

[muckyboots]

Thanks ,Could I grow them in a deep container,Im trying this with carrots I'v not fed them and got the box in the greenhouse might give that a go.

[peanut]

Totally agree with DD, although fairly new to this myself both Dad and Grandad say never water them - it's their search for water that makes them grow!!

[Babstreefern]

I've got parsnips - and they are whoppas .  My first attempt as well .  Funnily enough, I'm not successful with growing carrots .  I've tried growing carrots for the last 3 years, but never succeeded.

[solway cropper]

Try growing them in deep containers with a mixture of compost and sharp sand with some BFB. You will need to water them though.

[viettaclark]

When I did my 18" raised beds I put a layer of compost down 6" or so and I had fairly good carrots and parsnips. I'm rotating this year and they'll go in the winter cabbage bed which I fertilised last Autumn. As the beds have sunk I've got some lovely sandy loam topsoil (unfertilised) to top up and I'm keeping fingers crossed it will be deep enough to make them grow down!!!

[richyrich7]

You could try making v shaped holes deep into the soil with something like a crowbar fill that with compost/sand mix. That should encourage more depth of root. However I think you need to follow DD's advice too

[stompy]

I tried the deep V thingy before.
I used a spade, dug it in and waggled it back and forth all the way across the plot to create a long V shaped trench, then filled it with a mix of 50/50 sharp sand and compost.
The problem i got was really wide parsnips at the top but tapering off to about half inch within 5 inch, they were prety much useles for anything.
It was dissapointing because when i rubbed off the soil from the top they looked really good.
Im starting mine off in toilet role inners this year then planting out with a bulb planter i can controll the germination and spacing that way, it will also give at least 5 inch of parrallel good soil to grow into until it reaches the main soil in the bed.

[viettaclark]

Maybe I'll dig out some of the fertilised soil and put it on the bean bed so there's more depth of the sandy loam.
But doesn't this ruin the rotation idea?

[stompy]

If you start moving your soil from bed to bed then you (will) ruin your rotation.
Another thing as well, when you buy in top soil you could be bringing all sorts of things into your plot.
I add a tonn of sand and a trailer load of manure every year.
The sand is slowly openning up the soil and the manure makes it more water retentive.

[Salmo]

There seems to be a lot of advice on adding this and that, moving soil, starting in pots.

What you need is soil that is even in texture all the way down. Any variation is an excuse for parsnips to stop going down or branch.

[viettaclark]

Do you think I'll be alright, Salmo, if I mix the sandy loam in to a possible carrot/parsnip depth.... about 9" which leaves 9" of original stuff below?
 Beds have got to be topped up because they've sunk about 4" as this is their second year.