Thank you but you're killing me!!!

I've been following threads on growing parsnips and carrots......I had no idea about 90% of what you all have been discussing. This morning I took shovel and screen and headed to the veggie plot.

3 hours later I'm about played out but I have a small area prepared nicely for the transplants as soon as the germination takes place with the parsnips.

I'd be feeling absolutely righteous if it were not for the fact that I now have 3/4 of that bed still to work through..........puff puff.

However for now it's off to the front yard to rip dandelions from the lawn for a change of pace (and to work different muscles so I can get out of bed in the morning. (This is only the third day this year we've been able to actually work in the gardens. Things have finally dried up enough to be taken to task.)

 

It gets easier.... honest..and it sounds like you have some catching up to do.
Enjoy.
robert

 

"I had no idea about 90% of what you all have been discussing"

s00k

"I have a small area prepared nicely for the transplants as soon as the germination takes place with the parsnips"

OK, hopefully I've got the wrong end of the stick here, but Parsnips won't transplant (unless you are growing them in loo rolls / home-made pots from newspaper which you will plant whole)

 

I have them in very tall newspaper rolled pots. As soon as they germinate I'll pop them into the ground. It's still been very cold here and germination would be badly delayed if I put them directly into the ground. (I gots me sharp eyes on 'em!)

actually I use the newspaper rolled pots for all my starts that don't transplant easily...pumpkin, cukes, squash and now parsnips too!

 

I've done my Parsnips in rolled Newspaper pots. Germination has been awful (I think because I bought seed half price in last Summer's sale, rather than getting fresh seed - Parsnip seed doesn't keep)

I sowed the remainder of the packet on damp Kitchen paper, that was ages ago too, and I'm only getting three of four germinating a week - I check each day and immediately transfer any that have started a root into their paper pots. I doubt I'll have enough for more than a couple of meals this year :(

 

I have been extremely lazy and sowed them straight into the bed where they are to grow-they have germinated and are small seedlings now. I should have been scroogier with the turnips though they are giving it what for and I have had to thin them out three times already.

 

"I have been extremely lazy and sowed them straight into the bed where they are to grow-they have germinated and are small seedlings now"

Perfect! I did that last year, and they took so long to germinate, and were sufficiently erratic, that I thought it wasn't best-use-of-space, plus the roots were quite small come harvest time, that I thought I would grow and transplant this year, thus getting perfect spacing and a mega crop.

But I reckon my rubbish seed wouldn't have fared any better sown outside though

Presumably you can eat the thinnings of your Turnips? (Well, not if they are inch-high ... but subsequent thinnings?)

 

Hi greenjeans tried loo rolls last year not very succesful maybe left to grow to large before planting?
So this year planted directly into cropping position on march 3rd , got very worried at the beginning of april because we had a month of easterly winds and lots of snow.
David/Robert&John told me not to worry and as sure as eggs are eggs they popped up on 24th of april ,frost and snow has not affected them as they look very healthy at the moment
have good year micky v

 

What sort of "not very successful" Micky? Poor quality roots? Forked roots? or something else perhaps?

 

I don't have time for them to take a month or more to germinate. I'm in a zone 2 gardening zone so it's a short season and this spring has been so wet and cold we're getting a late start to boot. I'm just doing a few parsnips so if they don't work it won't be a problem. I'll transplant them p.d.q. when they germinate.

It has meant that I've sifted all the soil in that bed (or I will have when I finish) and it's a much nicer bed now where I have already worked it. So always a silver lining!

 

In addition to Parsnips I am trying both Salsify and Scorzonera. The Salsify germination hasn't been that much quicker than the Parsnips, although it was a bit better, but the Scorzonera were up in a couple of days. All planted in newspaper pots on the same day.

The Scorzonera have very skinny, long/deep roots though, and I read it can be a problem to get them out in one piece ... so it may not turn out to be a good alternative.

I'm going to buy super-fresh seed of all three next year and make a fairer comparison.

 

Have never heard of Scorzonera so I googled it. Interesting. I think next year I'll try that.....have to track down the seeds first.

 

I've grown parsnips for the first time this year, used loo rolls and followed clear instructions from Freddy and now have a row of very healthy specimens, about 10" tall. Will certainly repeat next year as have no gaps in rows. Can't wait to roast 'em. Thanks Freddy ! :gnthb:

 

"have to track down the seeds first"

Its not rare, just unheard of - IYSWIM !!

Hessayon says "You will find Salsify and Scorzonera in all the seed catalogues but in very few gardens"

He reckons that Salsify has superior taste to Parsnips, and that Scorzonera has a "delicious flavour". I'll let you know next Winter