PARSNIPS

beebb3, Oct 5, 9:14am
Do you have any special planting tips please for sowing parsnip seeds? I have been told that when you have sprinkled the seed in the furrow, you pour boiling water across them, then fill the furrow in? Followed by normal watering etc as have heard that lots of people have trouble striking the seed? Or perhaps theres a certain variety you could recommend please. When would you suggest the best time to plant? Anytime from now on?. Would appreciate any advice you may have.
lythande1, Oct 5, 6:20pm
A key to producing good root crops is growing them in deep, friable, free-draining soil. Because of their reputation for being bad germinators it's recommended fresh seed is used each year,.

root crops such as carrots and parsnips can "fork" (distort) if grown in freshly manured or freshly composted ground.

Root crops are known as one group of vegetables which don't like to be transplanted as seedlings because they grow better if their roots are not disturbed

Boiling water is a silly idea.
Just make sure the seeds are kept moist when you plant them out.

You could use jackpots to germinate them and then plant the pots directly in, gets around the issue about not disturbing them.

The roots sit through the winter, gradually improving in sweetness and flavour as the starch contained within is turned to sugars by cold weather and frost.

So do not plant too early.
I'd say early to mid autumn, depending where you are.
mustu, Oct 5, 7:26pm
Last year I let a parsnip go to seed. I just let some of those seeds fall around that parsnip, and I saved some of the seed. I would say every one of those seeds grew. both the self sown and the hand sown! I had a massive parsnip crop this year and will always do it this way in the future! So if you can possibly save your own parsnip seed to sow it is a VERY easy way to have successful germination.
cantabman1, Oct 5, 7:39pm
Boiling water does work, as strange as it may seem.
gbking, Oct 6, 12:00am
I get good results with parsnips, sow when the soil is warm enough to get a good germination, Sept/Oct/Nov depending on your location, Well dug friable soil is best, avoid fresh compost. After sowing cover the row with a plank of wood, say a 6x1, this ensures even moisture and prevents drying out. Check ever day from about a week onwards and as soon as the seedlings appear remove the plank. Use fresh seed each year. Best harvested after the 1st frost.
annies3, Oct 6, 7:48am
Agree parsnips take a long time to mature, we are still using ours which were planted last spring as with carrots beetroot etc if you wait till autumn to sow the seed you will not get a usable crop. Fresh seed is best.
macandrosie, Oct 6, 8:43am
Yep I always pour boiling water down the row. They do take a long time to germinate - certainly alot longer than carrots. I find it interesting when people say you have to dig really deep if you want length in your parsnips, when in fact they always grow much deeper than carrots. I have also used fresh seed from previous seasons seeded plant with much success. You also need to sow reasonably thick as they are poorer germinators than carrots.
beebb3, Oct 6, 9:42am
Thankyou everybody for your wonderful help, very much appreciated, love the advice and everybodys imput, bit like life really, we all 'have a story to tell' haha. Good stuff.
mustu, Oct 7, 9:06am
not true. It very much depends where you live! I often plant parsnips in Autumn in Hawkes Bay and they do well and grow to a good size. Would never have been able to do that living in
Otago tho.
samanya, Oct 8, 3:12am
I've tried the boiling water, the board cover & I have come to the conclusion as macandrosie said . it's the fresh seed that works best. I have a little self sown patch now from the escapees of the heads i saved for seed. No TLC . they just germinated where they landed.
delmic, Oct 8, 6:25am
I like the board idea. thanks
annies3, Oct 8, 6:29am
Hardly "NOT TRUE" simply it worked for you where you live but as you say not down south or any area which has frosts,
paora-tm, Sep 8, 9:03am
I poured boiling water on my seeds this time - in a bowl mixed with potting mix, ready to scatter where I wanted to sow them. I SEE LIFE! It's the first time after 4 attempts that I have got parsnip seeds to germinate.