![]() ![]() Ideally, you’re after something that produces taproots no longer than 12in long. Select a type that is likely to grow a shorter taproot, such as ‘Albion’ or ‘White Gem’. Parsnips may not be obvious choices for container gardening, but they can be cultivated this way. However, if you aren’t happy about soil drainage or consistency (say, it is heavily clay-based), try growing in large pots of multi-purpose. Learning how to grow parsnips is fine once you have a handle on seed quality and soil condition. (Image credit: Deborah Vernon / Alamy) How to grow parsnips in containers Keep the earth just moist for best results. If you apply these excessively, you’ll end up with lots of leaves but small roots. Parsnips don’t need lots of water or feed. Take care with watering in the early stages.Plants at intervals of 6-8in apart have the best chance of success. If you have sown in clusters, thin by cutting to the strongest plant per cluster. Thin outdoor sowings once you spot the first pair of true leaves.If you don’t see any activity straight away, don’t panic! Just give it time. Germination can take two-four weeks from direct-sowing, depending on parsnip variety, soil conditions and weather.Remove once seedlings are a couple of inches tall. Cover over the sowing bed or raised bed with cloches to help regulate temperatures.Since these crops take a while to announce themselves, you don’t want to lose track of where they have been planted, or forget what you put there! Mark both ends of the planting site with sticks and label the rows.Make sure you sow on top of holes that have been filled with compost, then cover with another very thin layer of compost and water in. Sow three-five seeds in every planting hole, spaced at 10in intervals.These are less variable in quality and are more likely to show more vigorous growth. When choosing your parsnip seeds, opt for F1 hybrids. ![]() Here are some more of her top tips for direct-sowing when you grow parsnips. She’s also the author of RHS Step by Step Veg Patch, available at Amazon, which covers 50 types of fruit and veg. Lucy was a Horticultural Advisor at RHS Wisley and has been Head Gardener on a 100-acre estate in England for many years, but writes regularly for titles such as The Garden, Gardeners’ World, The Guardian and Amateur Gardening. Consider this a sophisticated form of dibbing! ‘So use a long, sturdy pole to make holes 8in deep.’ Fill with compost, then firm gently and sow. ‘The taproot has to develop unhindered for uniform parsnips,’ says Lucy. Even if you have a small vegetable garden, this is a fool-proof way to avoid wonky crops. This helps to germinate seeds before planting and involves placing seeds on a damp paper towel a week before you wish to sow, then covering with cling film.Īmateur Gardening’s veg expert Lucy Chamberlain has this trick to ensure planting holes are perfect for growing parsnips. ![]() One extra way to beat the odds, favored by several experts, is to ‘chit’ seeds before sowing. The basic rule is: sow a lot, at the right time, in well-prepped soil. At the sowing stage, you’re playing a numbers game to make up for the seeds that won’t germinate. Furthermore, says Burpee’s Nancy Awot-Traut, it’s a good idea to sow thickly with a view to thinning seedlings down to the strongest later. (Image credit: Kim Sayer / Getty) How to plant parsnips from seedĪs we have explained, the freshest seeds ensure the best success rates with germination. In warmer regions, you may prefer to sow in the fall – crops can grow in milder winters to mature the following spring. Parsnips do best in USDA hardiness zones 2-9. So most experts prefer direct sowing outdoors. Parsnips develop the long taproot before the smaller network of roots. But if you start indoors, use biodegradable pots that are long and deep so you can transplant seedlings without disturbing the roots. You can buy a few weeks if you start parsnips undernglass a little earlier. As a general rule, parsnips are best sown between mid-April and early May.Īs West Coast Seeds’ Carissa Kasper explains, spring sowing is best – temperatures are cool and moisture levels are consistent. ‘Sowing in early spring or late fall for overwintering in milder climates is ideal.’ Although they are biennial plants, parsnips are usually grown as annuals, which is why timing is so important. ‘Parsnips grow best between 40˚F and 70˚F,’ says seed expert Florence at Tomorrow Seeds. But in terms of best starts, your sowing or planting site is best if it is moderate and regulated. These are cool season crops, so established plants won’t mind a little dip in warmth here and there. ![]()
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