I;ve just planted a short row of parsnips
I always remember a cousin telling me that they were particularly hard to germinate
Can anybody out there confirm that or coment in any way (Of course you can! This is Dave's ...where everybody helps each other!!!!!)
Parsnip seeds
I don't know that parsnip seeds are hard to germinate so much as the seeds do not retain viability for more than a year. So if they do not germinate, try to get fresh seeds.
They reseed themselves here in the second year.
They are notoriously slow to germinate, sometimes up to four weeks. Some gardeners mix a few radish seeds in with them. These germinate very quickly, and so mark the row. If you are sowing a non-F1 variety it's certainly worth leaving a couple in the ground till the following year, and saving your own seed. That way you can be sure the seeds are fresh.
ashchignell, I have a bit of advice for parsnips. Where I live, no one grows them so I have only bought them in the supermarket. Last year I planted some and carefully kept the weeds pulled out while I waited for them to sprout. Then I got busy and ignored that bed for a couple of months.
That is when I discovered that parsnip leaves do not look like carrot leaves. *sigh* I had pulled out nearly all my baby parsnips because I didn't know what the leaves look like. They are a flat, pineately divided leaf that looks a lot like a common weed that we have here.
Boy did I learn a lesson for all new things! Heh! :-)
Hope you grow some yummy parsnips!
Tina
They are very slow to germinate-so make sure you get them in as early as possible(as soon as the soil can be worked). Don't bother with old seed-they won't germinate. Has to be fresh. I also sow the seeds more thickly than I do for other root crops. Parsnips can be a little tricky but it is well worth the effort!!!
Good Luck
Deb
Here is a tip I read about---tried it and worked great. After you prepare the bed, take a small bladed knife, stab a hole about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Do not remove it yet, slip a seed in sideways, remove the knife and pat. For some reason, they like to be sideways like that. Like carrots, the bed needs to be constantly moist until germination. We have been enjoying our lovely parsnips this month. I planted them last May. Parsnips take a long time to grow into sizable roots, but worth it and it's great to have something fresh in winter. I get two years from parsnips because I keep the seed in the fridge. Cold, dark and dry.
Oh, yes...It helps to soak the seed for a few hours before planting. I like to use diluted compost water.
Parsnips are well suited to fluid sowing.
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