Carrots and parsnips - is it too late

[Reks]

Hi guys - pls guide,
My carrots and parsnips have poor germination rate this year. I want attempt another batch if seeds in grow bags ( the taller style bags). Am I too late?
R

[chris]

The parsnips won't really come to much as they need a long growing season.

If you have a fast maturing type of carrot, such as the baby types then you'll be able to fit a crop in.

A couple seed companies label them as 'Speedy'.

[gingerbilly]

Carrot parmex is good .....as long as you dont mind the stumpy shape, I've grown them in large patio containers past couple of years and last year sowed a few pots in august and cropped them in december......

Carrot 'Parmex' / RHS Gardening

[Reks]

I might have some parmex seeds. Will give it a go. Looks like I have lost the window for parsnips. thank u both for your responses.

[chris]

Well, there's nothing stopping you trying. If you can grow some in containers (morrisons buckets?) undercover, you might get baby parsnips... but the problem is the light levels.. we're headed for the darkness already!

[The Allotment Shed]

I would still try the parsnips as the seeds don't keep we'll anyway. You will probably end up throwing them away so you may as well give them a try if you have spare space. Carrots are fine to sow now as if all else fails you should end up with at least some smallish juicy ones

[mrgrower]

All my Parsnips failed to take this year so I understand your pain

[redser]

I tried chatting and then planting in loo rolls the last two years. 100% success last year and the same so far this year. It's obviously a bit labour intensive but the rewards are worth it.

[mrgrower]

I tried chatting and then planting in loo rolls the last two years. 100% success last year and the same so far this year. It's obviously a bit labour intensive but the rewards are worth it.

I normally plant in seed trays then transplant and normally all is good. However this year they where just sown straight into the ground and nothing zilch nadda

[Two_Sheds]

My parsnips fail most years now. We tend to get weeks & weeks of drought after I've sowed them, no matter how carefully I time them.

I do have a few self-seeders around the plot though, so I'll try and remember to lift them before they bolt (some of them are big enough to eat now as mini-veg)


Carrots are good to go: as said, use an early variety (Adelaide is my current fave). btw, early means quick-growing

[mrgrower]

btw, early means quick-growing

That answers my question on early potatoes too

[KevinM67]

All my Parsnips failed to take this year so I understand your pain

Same here (I've got 4 growing from sowing a whole pack)

My carrots seem to be doing great this year, however I didn't start that many as I've never really had that much success in the past.

I'm going to sow some more carrots at the weekend - I'll see how I get on.

[lottie dolly]

Seems a bad year for our friends,the parsnips,not 1 out of a whole pkt,i am gutted,another plot holder gave me some of his saved seed from this year,so nice and fresh,i will give some of these a go,if only small snips,better to have tried than not,especially as the season in weeks behind,

[stella]

Last year I had loads of parsnips, this year did exactly the same things and I have got 6, must be the weather.

[binley100]

This is the first year I've ever had a problem getting 'snips to grow ....t'other day I sowed every seed I possessed in a last ditch attempt . Think I've got about 12 up out of 'kin hundreds
Carrots, still sowing but moved onto earlies from maincrop ....got fed up with trying to sow nice and thinly in rows so marked an area and broadcast them