Customer Top Tips For Growing Parsnips

We ran a survey and asked our valued customers to submit their top tips for successfully sowing and growing parsnips. Some have been featured in our catalogues but we thought we would publish these online to allow other growers to benefit...

We must add that we haven't tried all of the hints and tips below but it may offer some insights to how other growers approach sowing and growing their parsnips!

• Dig the ground well before hand to remove stones - they will distort the shape.
• I put some vermiculite into a clear plastic container, water it, mix in the seeds and put the lid on. When the seeds have germinated and developed a reasonable length of root and stem I tease them out of the vermiculite and put them in a container with a little water in it so that they do not dry out. To plant each seedling I make a dibber hole and then hold it over the hole whilst watering in soil, rather like planting leeks. It is rather fiddly but guarantees full rows.
• Buy fresh seed. I germinate them on damp kitchen paper and place them in well prepared drill at correct spacing as root appears, marking where I have got to.
• Have a dedicated deep parsnip bed with well sieved compost. Pre-chit the seeds to ensure germination has taken place, but once it has, get them planted as soon as possible. Make a dibbed hole in compost - backfill the hole with seed compost up to 1/2" from the top of the hole. Place seed in hole and cover. Water in but then don't water unless there is a heatwave. Cover with fleece against carrot fly. Leave until after first frosts for harvesting.
• Chit seeds on damp kitchen paper. Transfer to toilet roll tubes of potting compost in greenhouse until established. Plant carefully in prepared ground.
• I always plant radishes in the same drills at the same time as l plant parsnips. The radishes Mark the rows where the parsnips are and are gone by the time the parsnips come up.
• Plant seeds individually in toilet roll centers, cover with plastic until germination place in cold greenhouse then plant out in position when 3 to 4 inches tall.