Tips for growing Parsnips

This how NOT to grow parsnips. They were started in the greenhouse in cells that were too shallow, replanted, but the roots never uncurled. Taste ok though!

 

some of mine have hollow centers, but the top died back to early

 

That could be lack of water Jiffy, the hollow centres that is.

 

Hiya Jiffy.

What I do (and others may not agree) is to use toilet roll cores. The method is as follows, I fill the cores to about half an inch from the top, then sow 3 seed, then top up with compost. I then give them a little water, and set them out in my unheated greenhouse. After two or three weeks they will have germinated. This is the important part, once they have germinated they MUST be planted out immediately. If left even only for a few days, the tap root will be at the bottom, and there's every likelihood that the root will be broken once moved. After a few weeks, it's just a case of discarding the surplus seedlings, and just leaving the strongest looking one. I've only been gardening 'proper' for four years, but this method has always given me good results.

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Thats a good idea Freddy

I do that with Sweetcorn, didn't think about Parsnips, could be the way to go

 

from what I have read:

prepare the planting space with lots of rockdust and dig the soil at least 24 inches deep:
Rockdust | Fertiliser | Rockdust | Compost | Garden Tools | Fertilizer

and add loads of vermicompost (worm compost)
VermiCompost, 40 litres - Angus Horticulture Ltd - angus-horticulture.co.uk

get a plastic pipe approx 4-5 inches in diameter and at least 2 foot long ... insert the plastic pipe into the soil ...

plant the seedling in the centre of the plastic pipe ... and some of the guys fertilze using seaweed

check this link for other ideas:
Exhibition veg growing bit plus giant onion

and this one:
The World Records - Heaviest and Longest Carrot - The Growers - John Evans and Joe Atherton

 

Just to add to Petes` advice. Take out a drill about a half inch deep and sow 4 or 5 seeds per station, space the stations at 4" intervals. Once the seeds have germinated thin out to 1 seedling per station. Grow on until you have plants big enough to use as baby roots. Take out every other one leaving the maincrop to grow on at 8" apart.

 

Hiya Dai.

Absolutely nothing wrong with what you're saying. It's just that I have found (with my limited experience) that germination in the open ground can be somewhat sporadic. OK if one has plenty of space, but since I have to make the most of the space available, I can't afford any gaps.

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Is it not sporadic due to sowing too early Freddie.

If you look at the back of a packet of parsnip seed, does it say Jan onwards?

 

Hiya pete.

I've never sown before mid February using the open ground method, mind you, that was a LONG time ago. I've just found that this way works for me, no gaps. And the results speak for themselves

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Freddy, how many seedlings do you throw away?

 

Isn`t that what I said, only without the need for bogroll centres?

 

Hiya Dai.

I find that using this method results in almost 100% germination. So, since I sow 3 to a core, 2 are discarded.

Cheers...Freddy.

 

My method though Fred, with the seeds sown asap in March, gives 100% success.

 

No, that's not what you said. Your method is in the open ground, mine starts in the greenhouse, albeit unheated.