Parsnips

[NOG]

I have had 4 goes this year and I got only one parsnip.

They just will not germinate...I have tried the tissue paper, putting them in a drill....

any advice?

[Two_Sheds]

Fresh seed?

Tell us exactly what you do, when, how, and we'll try for a diagnosis.

[zazen999]

I put mine into jiffy 7s, 2 in each. I watered with just off the boil water [about 10 mins to cool then straight on]. Then left, and planted 4 jiffys into each of 2 large bucket-y pots.

The rest of the pack, have gone into a square metre prepared bit of the lottie, with a ridge all round the sides, sown scattered with a sand covering. If any come up it will be a bonus but if they don't come up by the time I run out of space for the beans, they will get over planted and if any snoops come up they will have to battle it out with the beans.

[DaveInBraknell]

Hi,

I put mine into Seed Compost into Root Trainers, nothing else 100% Germination rate after about 1-2 weeks. Keep it well watered.

Bought my fresh seed tender&true from Chiltern Seeds (Heritage Variety). Always use fresh seed for 'snips stored in my air tight ammunition case..

Am often bemused by the fuss over the seed, perhaps I just have green fingers..


Dave

[Alice]

Buy a new packet of seed NOG - they're obviously duff.

Old seed will not germinate and some of the big well known seed companies were exposed as selling duff seed.

Parsnips can be slow to germinate but not difficult. If the seed is good they will grow.

[teakdesk]

Patience is needed with parsnips.... and temperature.

In studies on germination at different constant temperatures the percentage germinations were...
82% in 172 days at 0 degC
87% in 57 days at 5 degC
79% in 27 days at 10 degC
85% in 19 days at 15 degC
89% in 14 days at 20 degC
77% in 15 days at 25 degC
51% in 32 days at 30 degC


Mine took about 28 days outside.


EDIT you need to allow an extra few days to the above figures for good leaves to show above ground, especially if sown deep.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine took about 10 days (I think, might've been quicker) on damp kitchen towel, on a plate, covered with cling film, in the kitchen (Gladiator)

The other plate (Avon Resistor) : nothing

Last year (Avon Resistor): lots
Last year (Tender & True): nothing

[sweetiepea]

I've a tray full just coming up. The first arrived on Monday and I danced for joy (seemed to be waiting longer than usual), then when I went into the greenhouse this morning there were about twenty more. Mine are in home made paper pots in the greenhouse (not too warm). I don't allow them to dry out, but don't over water either. I think the others are right NOG, you should try new seed.

[helly]

I sowed my parsnips direct into the soil in an open field and took 3 weeks for them to show., Last week, i too was jumping around with joy in the veg plot after seeing that they have germinated.....

[NOG]

Ok the first lot were a bit out of date but I got T&M tender and true.

Put 1/2 pack on wetted kitchen paper in a sealed clear plastic tub
Put 1/2 pack in tray of potting compost covered vermic and seeding comost.

Both put in hot house at 20o

and nada.

[Alice]

As said - duff seeds NOG.

[lynda66]

i got 2 packets of seeds from wilkies end of season for 5p each ... put them between 2 layers of kitchen roll kept wet, put into a tomato container with a lid (one that tomatoes came in, then put them on top of the boiler, they took about 2-3weeks to geminate, then i put 5 into a toilet roll tube and bunged em in the garden..... i have about 150 parsnips currently .... i thought they wouldn't do too well as they were old seed ...

[taff]

I got those too NOG, they mostly sprouted. First lot took ages in the greenhouse, about 2/3 weeks, sown in loorolls.
The second lot the same outside in the ground with a compost base.
I didn't cover them, or plastic bag them.

[maytreefrannie]

Ok the first lot were a bit out of date but I got T&M tender and true.

Put 1/2 pack on wetted kitchen paper in a sealed clear plastic tub
Put 1/2 pack in tray of potting compost covered vermic and seeding comost.

Both put in hot house at 20o

and nada.

I'm with you, NOG - weeks on kitchen paper on windowsill --- nothing.
weeks in loo roll pots in mini greenhouse --- nothing.
now again, different seeds on kitchen paper for weeks --- nothing.

Last year, got no parsnips.

I grew them some years back but it seems I've lost the knack.

AND - I love 'em! I love parsnips! But it seems like they don't love me.

[hamsterqueen]

I planted 2 morrisons buckets, lay soil on bottom, then multi purpose compost, tehn an inch or 2 of seed compost on top. Used "Ideal" variety, which are marketed as patio veg.

Took a week or two but they are sprouting nicely now. It has been very warm here though