"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"John Towill" wrote in message
. ..

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.

A lot of stuff forks if the soil is too rich. My first year I had terrible
problems but the second year in the same soil gave much better crops.

OK, thanks everyone, I'll try some of those ideas.

Steve

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row, every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row, every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row, every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show.
I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister
and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them
on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With
what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen
Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row,
every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant
three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow
to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

I can definitely see myself trying that. I'd heard of the principle of
making the cone shape etc, but only in relation to show standard carrots.

Thanks

Steve

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show.
I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister
and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them
on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With
what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen
Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row,
every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant
three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow
to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

I can definitely see myself trying that. I'd heard of the principle of
making the cone shape etc, but only in relation to show standard carrots.

Thanks

Steve

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show.
I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister
and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them
on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With
what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen
Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row,
every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant
three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow
to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

I can definitely see myself trying that. I'd heard of the principle of
making the cone shape etc, but only in relation to show standard carrots.

Thanks

Steve

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show.
I
have tried several varieties including tender and true, Avon resister
and
student. This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them
on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With
what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?


The best method Ive tried for growing Parsnips was from the "Kitchen
Garden"
magazine a few years ago.
Get yourself a stock of old clean potting compost, then mark your row,
every
9inches push a rod into the soil to a good depth and push the rod around
until you have made a deep cone shaped hole, fill this with your potting
compost, tamping it down lightly to ensure no air pockets. Then plant
three
seeds on the top of each hole covering lightly with more compost.
Keep the row moist and eventually you will see germination, they are slow
to
germinate, it take weeks. Reduce the plants to one per hole and await a
harvest.
Last year was about the driest and hottest I've ever known and we got the
best crop of perfectly clean parsnips ever.

I can definitely see myself trying that. I'd heard of the principle of
making the cone shape etc, but only in relation to show standard carrots.

Thanks

Steve