[Snoop]

I bought some Guernsey parsnip seeds as a bit of an experiment after reading lots of pro-parsnip comments. Despite my worries about germination, every seed came up within two weeks. They're in paper pots, maybe 15 cm deep. I've thinned out the excess but am unsure what to do next.

How long should I wait before planting them out? They're at the first pair of leaves stage still, but some of the ones I pulled out had surprisingly long roots already.

And what spacing should I use? I've checked on the Internet and found that Guernsey parsnips should be planted 30 cm apart each way. That seems a lot to me, but what do I know?

As the germination was so successful, I'm thinking of giving over another bed to them, though I don't really know how big/ how heavy Guernsey parsnips will grow. Only info I've seen is that they're broad-shouldered. Anyone got any ideas?

The soil is deep, but only dug down to about 30 cm. It was mucked lightly last year. Any views on other feeding regimes?

Thanks for your help.

[Aidy]

Get them in now so not to disturb the root, it should be on its way now.
Spacing, I use 9 inches for one row (over winter snips) and 6 inches for my early snips (pulled end of oct-nov) but mine are just bog standard gladiators, I would go with the larger the space the bigger your snip will be, however some will go woody if very big, not sure on these as I have never grown them before.

[mumofstig]

Guernsey parsnip advice for Garden Organic

here

[Aidy]

Guernsey parsnip advice for Garden Organic

here

They kind of say the spacings I use 

[mumofstig]

I know, Aidy, it's just that it says about it being a stumpy etc etc

I wasn't really trying to be an echo echo echo..............................

 

[Salmo]

I sow in 15 inch rows and thin to 4 inches between plants. This gives roots that do not grow too big and leaves room to get a fork in when lifting.

[Snoop]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Sorry to take so long to get back to you. Problems with Internet connection.

Have planted them out now. Still at two-leaf stage, but roots were already popping through the bottom of the pots, so I hope they'll be OK.

Will start some more, even though I see from other recent threads that it might be too late. Even if they come out small, I hope they'll still be delicious. I'll get this next lot in the ground quicker. Have become quite a paper pot fan. Last frost last year was 15 May, but then it gets hot very quickly. The paper pots in cold frames with insulation over the top gives me a good head start.

Aidy, it was your comment about stonking Gladiators on a different thread that convinced me to try parsnips. So many thanks for that. I bought these Guernsey's off e-bay, but had no real idea what to choose. They claimed Alan Titchmarsh likes these roasted, so that's why I bought them.