gerrminating parsnips

[lesleygl]

Can't seem to get my parnsips to grow.

Is it too late to have another try and any advice on gernination would be helpful?

[Capsid]

You must use fresh seed to get decent germination rates. I have tried these methods all with success.

Soak seeds on a damp tissue in the airing cupboard and when germinated, transplant to loo rolls filled with MPC.

Sow direct in soil in rows and thin as required. Use up the whole packet as it won't be any good next year.

I don't think it's too late if you have room.

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I did exactly as above however when the root was about 5mm ish they went into the garden, along with a ungerminated one for company. That way I had two stabs at each planting position, then remove the weaker. After reading up on how some of the big veg growers do it, I also watered the planting area for a few days before planting. That way I gave mine the best possible start and it seems to be paying off at the moment!

[Nik]

I've tried everything and I have concluded that it's just random. I have sown direct, sown chitted seeds and done the toilet roll trick and all to no avail - eventually in frustration I chucked the remaining contents of an old packet in a drill and left it - a couple of weeks later I had hundreds of seedlings. They're just difficult buggers - next year I'm just going to keep chucking seeds in the ground on a fortnightly basis until they come up.

[Germinater]

I hate parsnips hate hate hate them !!!!my first year trying them and ivgone through two packets so far and have had about twenty so there sorry faces so far the carrots sowed at the same time are huge had almost 100% germination on them was glad to here they are a pain to germinate and it's not just me ...had know probe germinating anything but the sodding parsnips .it like they don't won't to grow...

[Mulchkin]

None of the parsnips I planted in the bed germinated either. I managed to get 5 germinated in the greenhouse, but only in the trays that I accidentally overwatered and turned into a swamp!

[singleseeder]

After reading about the 'plank of wood' tip on t'interweb, I thought I'd give it a go and it worked.

Draw a drill, water, sow seed, cover with soil then cover with a plank of wood. Leave alone for two weeks, lift off the wood and voila! There they were, tiny seedling just waiting for the light.

[sewer rat]

Use only fresh seed. Place a piece of damp kitchen roll at the bottom of a tupperware container, place seeds on the damp paper, put the lid on and place in a warm position -I place mine above our boiler - and leave for about ten days. As soon as the seeds chit - and I mean as soon as - plant them out, two or three to a station, no more than a quarter inch deep in a drill filled with sieved compost.

[Jelliebabe]

I did rubbish with parsnips.... I sowed some old(ish) seeds into loo rolls..... nothing.... Then Brand new seeds into loo rolls... Gave up after AGES and planted sweetcord in the rolls instead. Bladdy parsmips germinated as well as the sweetcorn..... GAH I left them as I reckon the parsnips will take a lot longer to mature.....

[Chef_uk]

Sowed 30 in toilet rolls and as soon as the first shoot poked through i planted the lot. 3 failed to germinate and two have put on very weak growth. Time will tell how the roots get on Funnily enough i've had no problem germinating all the usual culprits but could i get Little Gem lettuces to germinate? Could i heck

[Florence Fennel]

There is loads and loads of stuff on here about parsnip germination and believe me I've tried the lot! Most successful for me has been warm water in the drills before thickly sowing a full packet of seed and then being patient about waiting for them to make an appearance. I then have lots of thinning to do, which is not ideal, but I do get plenty of snips. Never tried the plank of wood Singleseeder, but glad it worked for you.

[chris]

I tried various methods: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ent_45073.html

Direct sown gave the best looking roots, transplanted ones did grow very large but looked a bit like an octopus. I think I weeded out the ones I pre-chitted... can't really remember.

[bethduckie]

I sowed in March, direct and very thickly, into a line of compost on the ground. Then covered with a nice warm fleece. And then waited and waited.

Six weeks later I had seedlings. Who knew they took sooooo long! Now they are cracking plants, though, blooming brilliant

Interestingly the tender and true germinated a good deal more readily than the f1 variety I bought.

[singleseeder]

I am not called Singleseeder for nothing, but I confess that I put two seeds at stations 4" apart.

I've just weeded the row, now there are two true leaves, and every station has at least one seedling with approx 50% having two seedlings. I'm definitely keeping the plank! and sticking with the 19p packet of seeds from the well known cheapie supermarket.

[JamesM]

I've had success sowing direct and in loo rolls but could not get any chitted seeds to germinate