[heygrow]

I've been pulling up parsnips as and when required over that few weeks. They all seem huge and I measured the latest (which is about average for all of them) and it is 19 inches long and 4 inches round at the top.
So one parsnip is enough to feed 4 good portions for our roast dinner.

Not boasting (honest). It's my first year growing them, so wondered if others have similar sizes and is it due to a good summer growing season? I was a bit concerned the large size might affect the flavour, but they taste great.
They are Gladiator F1 Hybrids, sown in April directly into soil. Under a cloches for a few weeks to get them started and then thinned out.

Can I use the seed from the same packet for next year, or is it best to get new? It says on the packet "Pkd for year end 2013".

[DD.]

Gladiator are well known for growing into large parsnips. This from 4 years ago...

That "small woman" is my daughter - here's the full picture - she would be the first to admit that she's not small.



Vital statistics, (of the parsnip), - 16" long, (left some in the ground), 17" circumference, 4 lb 5 oz weight.

Parsnip seed are not known for longevity, I always buy fresh, but you could test a few by germinating on moist kitchen towel

[heygrow]

Well DD that's a decent size parsnip! Mines about the same length, but not as fat.
I noticed that on my larger ones they tend to split a bit.

Thanks for the suggestion on the seeds. I'll try that.

[RJR_38]

Well done! From 2 whole packets of gladiator seeds I had hardly any germinate

[Aidy]

Not as big as DD's (will beat this year tho  ) but this one from the other year, again its a Gladiator.

[RJR_38]

Arrgh! Am determined to get parsnips to work next year....

[Gardener and Rabbit]

The kitchen towel method of germinating parsnip seed works well for me; as soon as they start to germinate I move them into cardboard tubes filled with compost (still indoors), and then move them outdoors as they start to come through. I leave them in their tubes until they've made a small true leaf and the root is showing at the bottom, then plant out. I normally plant lettuces between the parsnips, to get a quick catch-crop.

I've found that the seed germinates well for two years, but I need a fresh packet the following year.   

[Aidy]

The kitchen towel method of germinating parsnip seed works well for me; as soon as they start to germinate I move them into cardboard tubes filled with compost (still indoors), and then move them outdoors as they start to come through. I leave them in their tubes until they've made a small true leaf and the root is showing at the bottom, then plant out. I normally plant lettuces between the parsnips, to get a quick catch-crop.

I've found that the seed germinates well for two years, but I need a fresh packet the following year.

I use the this method too (paper kitchen towel) to start them off but once sprutted straight into the ground.
Last year I tried various ages of seed and found that gladiator did indeed as above germinate well at 1 year old, at two years only around 45% germinated.

[DD.]

Pinch of seed every 8" and go away and leave them has never failed for me!

[RJR_38]

I tried the planting direct DD - I planted 2 lackeys a month apart and had nothing germinate.. The only parsnips I therefore have this year are from the plants I bought as an experiment and they have grown well. I might have to try the germinating on kitchen roll method even though I don't really like doing the 'faffing' methods

[AnneB]

I have planted direct and tried sowing in loo rolls too.   I have had success with both methods.   The loo roll won is a bit of a faff, but if you plant out as soon as you see a shoot then the roots aren't yet showing at the bottom and it saves on thinning later.    I have only had success with sowing direct if I don't sow too soon in the year.   My first sowing this year failed, I think because it was too cold and wet.   My second sowing in late May when everything was much warmer was a complete success and I still got good sized parsnips, although only a couple of very big ones.

The other thing I would say is you hear from everybody that parsnip seed only lasts a year or possibly two.   Well I used the last of my seed this year and the second sowing in May was at this point 4 years old and germinated perfectly.   How you store the seed might be relevant and where you got it from too I suppose.   Mine were Tender and True from Real Seeds and I keep seeds in an old plastic cream cracker box in the cellar.    Don't assume that your seeds are no longer viable because they are over a year old.

[JayG]

I tried pre-germinating and my usual "pinch every 8 inches" method this year - a few of the pre-germinated seeds failed to show, which left gaps because I sowed them singly (I filled the gaps with thinnings from the directly-sown plants, although I don't think that delicate operation would work very well on heavier soils than mine.)

I don't sow mine until late April which I think is the key to success, although they still take about 3 weeks to show.

If you want to get them going earlier than that pre-germination will improve your chances of success because otherwise they will just sit there for a awfully long time in cold wet soil.........

[DD.]

I couldn't be doing with faffing about with 50 or so loo rolls.

As jayG says, one of the key things is patience and waiting util it's warmer. They soon catch up. It's no use being the first out of the starting blocks!

[RJR_38]

I definitely know I made that mistake with the first sowing and sowed them as soon as I saw some others in here were. I did my second set in the last week of April and had nothing.... The plants I bought from the garden centre thrived though! Still, better luck next year...

[Ema]

I've not touched mine yet looking forward to it though!!