Transplanting parsnips?

[Caro]

We've just watched "Jamie at Home", where he's focusing on leeks. (Soon to be followed by Hugh F-W and then Heston B - bliss!) He showed how to move/transplant leeks to free up space in the veg bed, by digging a trench and replanting them, very close together, and obviously with roots still attached.

Can this be done with parsnips? Beetroot? Any other veg?

Many thanks

Caro

[RedThorn]

I tried this year and got a horrible twisted mess... lol but suppose that if you make sure the root stays straight, long and true, you might succeed

[bubblewrap]

We've just watched "Jamie at Home", where he's focusing on leeks. (Soon to be followed by Hugh F-W and then Heston B - bliss!) He showed how to move/transplant leeks to free up space in the veg bed, by digging a trench and replanting them, very close together, and obviously with roots still attached.

Can this be done with parsnips? Beetroot? Any other veg?

Many thanks

Caro

If you start parsnips off in toilet roll middles in a green house & then plant the seedlings (in the toilet rolls) out.
I did this one year & had the best parsnips I ever had.
Doing it this way there is no risk of damaging the roots.
This year I had a germination problem I think the seed was too old.

[zazen999]

I think you mean 'heeling in' rather than transplanting.

For most other root veg, you'd be better off 'clamping' or storing in sand.

[RedThorn]

thanks BW I did disturb the roots

[amandaandherveg]

I tried this year and got a horrible twisted mess... lol but suppose that if you make sure the root stays straight, long and true, you might succeed

I started mine off in loo rolls and they were coming along nicely in the GH. Went off for a couple of weeks in April and when I came back the roots were bursting out the bottom. I planted them out anyway, but like RT - I too had a 'horrible twisted mess'. Going to try again next year though.

Beetroot were started off in modules and they did well for me.

[zazen999]

Oh cripes - look what you've started - an early impromptu 'how to grow parsnips' discussion.....AARRGGHH

*runs and hides

[binley100]

I start pretty much everything off in loo roll middles ( my tribe seem to get through a lot of loo rolls) not tried parsnips yet next year, will be first attempt at growing them. In theory it should work cos you're not disturbing roots to plant them out.

[Caro]

Sorry to kick off an early debate

But my terminology must be way off, I have no idea if I mean heeling in or transplanting.

But basically, he took fully grown leeks, all nicely spaced apart, from one raised bed, and squished them all next to each other, lying slightly at an angle, in a different bed, to free up the space in the original bed for something else. So really, it's not a growing question as such, but a storage question.

And I did wonder whether this might work for my beetroot and parsnips, or whether I should just leave them undisturbed until I wanted to pick them. Sorry if I've caused confusion!

Caro

[zazen999]

Yup - it is heeling in. Only really works for leeks.

[FionaH]

Oh my life the parsnip things started again!

Sorry was a bit overwhelmed As far as I know root veg do not like being shifted about

[Caro]

Thanks Andrea

[zazen999]

I'll see you in April Caro for a proper parsnip thread;

until then - Fi - lie down in a dark room.

[rustylady]

Deffo heeling in. Done to free up space in the beds for the next planting, and to make them easier to lift if the bad weather hits.