Too late for Parsnips?

[rk01Member]

Hi, having just read in your Winter Veg book that Parsnips could be planted in May I’m just wondering if I could get away with some this year. I do love them.

I’m about to take posession of a plot on a brand new allotment site, but it may not be for another week, and we may not have water straight away. The ground is prepared, ploughed and harrowed (Herefordshire clay) out of old permanent pasture that was an orchard 50 years ago, and is to be run on organic guidelines. I could plant them indoors, in toilet rolls? and plant straight out or would they dry out and never germinate? Or would it be better to put them in the ground and just hope? Or should this be a lesson in patience and I’ll just have to wait unitl next year. I’m planning to run the plot no-dig, as are some of my fellow 53 allotmenteers, so wish us luck!

[charlesModerator]

 You can do it because new, fertile ground (I think Herefordshire clay sounds lovely) should encourage rapid growth. It is just a question of keeping the seedbed moist enough for a good fortnight while parsnips are germinating. A light water every four or five days if it does not rain. Much less work than toilet rolls and you are more likely to have straight roots as well. Probably lots of annual weeds around the parsnips, sow a few radish with the parsnip seed to show you the rows.

Good luck with the no dig, keep at the weeds in this first year, accept a few losses as you learn and by next year you will be brilliantly placed.

[rk01Member]

Thank you for an inspiring answer. I shall plant parsnips, following your advice, and am reassured about the amount of watering. Your books are at my elbow with constant good advice.

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