Parsnips recommended.

[pigletwillie]

How's the flavour when they are that size Piglet? Or haven't you eaten any yet?

I half expected the ones we roasted on Saturday to be less sweet and perhaps a touch woody in the middle but they were suprisingly very good with no hard core.

This year I will sow them a mont later but methinks it was all of the rain that caused the size.

[Flummery]

My largest (so far - got about 4 left) was 2lb in weight. Good job that was the one I lifted for Christmas when there were 9 of us - it was really sweet and tender. I don't like the 'perfumed' taste but I had a bit - well, you've got to haven't you? I used the loo roll method - my first bit of advice here when I joined - and I shall never go back to direct sowing of parsnips.

[littlegreenman]

My largest (so far - got about 4 left) was 2lb in weight. Good job that was the one I lifted for Christmas when there were 9 of us - it was really sweet and tender. I don't like the 'perfumed' taste but I had a bit - well, you've got to haven't you? I used the loo roll method - my first bit of advice here when I joined - and I shall never go back to direct sowing of parsnips.

So you use a loo roll per seed?

[shirlthegirl43]

I just found the packet of parsnip seed I bought last year and lost. They are hollow crown. Anyone grown those? I am going to try germinating some to see if they are still okay. Is it just a case of sprinkle a few on damp kitchen paper? About how long should they take to germinate?

[Flummery]

So you use a loo roll per seed?

Yes. I sprout the seed on the kitchen windowsill on damp paper towel in a poly bag - got the idea from here then carefully pop each seed on a looroll middle full of compost - add a tiddly bit more compost just to cover. Then they were transferred to my unheated greenhouse until the first true leaves came through. Even at this stage the root showed at the bottom of the loo roll on many of them. They really get going once they're off.

[littlegreenman]

I just found the packet of parsnip seed I bought last year and lost. They are hollow crown. Anyone grown those? I am going to try germinating some to see if they are still okay. Is it just a case of sprinkle a few on damp kitchen paper? About how long should they take to germinate?

I grew these last year, as you may have read, mixed results, but the ones that were a sucess tasted good.

[roitelet]

I've grown White Gem for several years in very stoney soil. I take an iron bar and work a funnel shaped hole in the ground and fill it with sifted soil before station sowing several seeds on top. After germinating thin to one seedling and the result - straight parsnips as long as my arm. So long that I have trouble getting them out whole. Going to plant a bit later this year in the hope that they will be a more sensible size.

[roitelet]

Just for interest.

I set the seeds of White Gem and Demi long de Guernsey to germinate on damp paper in plastic boxes. Both lots were a year old.

Result. White Gem germinated in 7 days 20 out of 30, not bad
Demi long de Guernsey yet to show signs of life

[nick the grief]

I lifted the last today to make room for a raised bed. However they were a tad big and a few methinks will go along way.

The variety was "Gladiator"

Big parsnips

I grew some Gladiator last year for a friend - I don't eat them myself and we've still got some left ... I dread to think how big they are now !

[pjh75]

I am growing Tender & True... they only took a week to pre-germinate on damp kitchen paper in the airing cupboard and I put them into toilet rolls filled with compost today in the greenhouse. When I plant them out I think I'll dig a trench and fill it with compost, so hopefully they won't fork.

pjh

[Cutecumber]

I shall be attempting some parsnips for the first, and possibly last, time this year.

I can't stand them, but am prepared to grow some for the rest of the world who seem to love them (apart from Flum, I see! lol!).

It's a selfless act, I know