Parsnips have chitted - what now?

[Magnolia]

Hi,
Got tubes of newspaper at the ready - just not sure how deep to sow the chitted seeds as I dont want to damage the new shoots.  Advice appreciated,
J.

[Magnolia]

[Tee Gee]

Just dibble a hole in the centre of the tube deep enough to cover the chit and the seed.

Do not press them in!

It is best to do the compaction with water as this gently filters the compost around the seed & chit without damaging it.

So transplant them all then water them en-masse

[Magnolia]

fab.  thanks for that.

[daxzen]

i just plant mine in situ

you growing for show or for eating

[Magnolia]

Eating.  Thought if I started them off in compost they'd be less likely to get legs.  Does it matter which way up the shoot goes?  I'm guessing it'll find it's own way.

[Digeroo]

What is the newpaper for.  Once parsnips show small sign of root I simply sow them like any seed. seem to grow fine.

[Magnolia]

didnt have enough loo rolls so made my own tubes.  ground not prepared at plot, if they went in now they'd split into many legs.   loads have chitted so I may sow some dirrect and see what happens.  thanks.

[adrianhumph]

Hi all, ;)
             I agree with digeroo, as you have pre chitted them, plant them straight into their growing place. Use the paper or loo rolls to start the seed off, & then plant out the whole tube. I have used both methods this year, the ones sown in loo rolls were planted out as soon as the seed leaves came up, if you wait too long the tap root quickly reaches the bottom of the tube, & you risk forking, because it has nowhere to go :-[ The pre chitted seeds were planted (carefully) once they had grown about half an inch, they have now come through & seem to be growing well also.
                                                                          Adrian.

[Tee Gee]

I prefer this way;



Can't be bothered phaffing around with loo roll and paper tubes and this way beats 'direct sowing'

[cornykev]

I sowed two half lines direct at different stages, the first are nearly all up and looking healthy, another 7 /8 months and we can tuck in, I still have some frozen tucked away in the freezer.   ;D ;D ;D

[shirlton]

I just sow the whole packet and  thin out if too many germinate(thats not very often) An old boy (well older than me) on our allotments ite saves his own seed every year and he always has beautiful parsnips. He gave me a big bag of seed and I shared it with others on the plot and  still have some left over.Neddless to say I have two parsnips growing from last year just for seed                               

[Magnolia]

How do you prepare the ground when sowing direct?   Am I fussing to much by digging a v shape and fulling it with compost?  Then sowing the seed on top of the compost/soil?

[cornykev]

Blimey Shirl he's older than you, did he go to school with Noah.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[cornykev]

Magnolia, I mark out a line and go up an down the line with a cutivator, pulling out any stones and it also throws any small weeds to the top to throw out, I do this quite a few times until it goes down 6/8" and fluffs the soil up a bit. I then get my dibber or pointed stick and go up and down the line making a small trench and throwing any stones out again, I then fill the trench with compost and water lightly if its too dry , them press a broom handle along the line and then sow the seed, cover with compost again and lightly flatten down with a block of wood and water, it sounds a bit long winded but when you've done it a few times it doesn't take long, anyway there in the ground for about 8 months so its worth doing it. PS don't sow until the soil has warmed up a bit.    ;D ;D ;D

[Magnolia]

Thanks so much for that Cornykev.  Also for the tip about waiting for the soil to warm up.  I sighed a breath of relief there as I've so many jobs to do, one off the list (for the moment) is fab.  I can sort my brassicas out tomorrow instead.  :)

[cornykev]

The soil should be warm enough now, mine have been in for a good few weeks, the packets say Feb to May but its too cold Feb-March so I start mine mid Apr onwards, depends on your area and weather.  ;D ;D ;D