Your comments and tips

28 Jun 20, Mark Stentiford (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have tried this last year with VERY good results (with three year old seeds as well), place in a container with a lid and you only need to water them once, you can also select the best of the crop to transplant with no failure. Good luck

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01 Dec 17, Jos Dekker (New Zealand - temperate climate)

(i) When you purchase your seed, make sure it is within the stipulated "use by date" (ii) Prepare bed or row by loosening the soil to a minimum depth of 20 c.m. (iii) Soak seed in lukewarm water overnight. (iv) I do not sow seeds in singles but use a "scatter" method and thin out plants later (v) Mix seeds with a small quantity of very friable earth and scatter in your row or bed. (vi) I don't particularly like the covering with a plank method to stop drying out but prefer putting a shade to keep the sun off whilst seeds are germinating. Ensure to keep soil wet during germination. Depending on temperatures, if cold, I water with luke warm water. (vii) I think that transplanting tends to produce malformation in the parsnip root. Let them grow in the spot where they first saw the daylight! Good luck!

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04 Nov 17, helen duckworth (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Whoopee my parsnips have germinated 100% by the look of the rows. Do I need to protect the seedlings from frost - I live in the McKenzie Country of South Canterbury.

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14 May 17, liz (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

hello - i also need some help with parsnips - i have a raised bed and put in plenty of compost most years - this last year i managed to get a whole row of parsnips to grow but - they are so tiny no bigger than my fingers and wrinkly like norah batties stockings but taste so darn good - my question is - how do i get them to grow into proper big parsnips - have i got something missing from the soil of my garden that they need to grow long and big??? thanks

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15 May 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Parsnips like deep friable soil to get long roots. Too much manure will give you twisted and forked roots. Planting them after a crop like lettuces, cabbages, beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, etc is good as the soil will be loosened up and there will be less nitrogen in the soil. An excess of nitrogen will cause big bushy tops and small roots.

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14 Jul 09, Arnie (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Pastinaca sativa

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