"Robert (Plymouth)" wrote in message
...


"K" wrote in message
...
Dan Smithers writes
Hi,
I have been given a packet of my late father's parsnip seeds. I have
always been told that parsnips can't be stored from year to year.

They have a short shelf life, so germination rate may be low. If you have
the space, sow it, but perhaps a bit more thickly than normal.


--
Kay

...and ideally they are sown in March/April time when the ground has
warmed up
Parsnip seeds can rot in cold wet soil, giving the impression of poor
germination. I pre-germinate mine by putting them in a covered tray with
damp tissue in the bottom. Then when there's a 1/4" of shoot, plant the
germinated seed. Doing it this way I finished a packet of seeds this year
that was 5 years old.


Another good wheeze is to plant them in a cone of good compost made by
inserting a metal rod into the soil and working it round in a circle, then
filling the hole with good compost.

Steve