* David in Normandy wrote, On 11/04/2010 19:17:
On 11/04/2010 17:21, Bob Hobden wrote:


"Therefore" wrote
can you help , when transplanting Parsnip seedlings would it be beter
to trim the roots or just dib them in


Transplanting parsnips? Not usual to plant them other than in situ,
where they are to grow, as any root disturbance can cause the root to
split and IME they simply don't like it.

If you prune the roots you won't get parsnips unless it's the tops you
are after.


I've had a devil of a job getting them to germinate in-situ in the past.
By the time the soil is warm enough and they germinate they are lost
amongst weeds. Seem very hit and miss. At least I can get a crop by
transplanting them as seedlings from deep troughs. Forking isn't the end
of the world provided the forks aren't spindly.

A friend of mine found that she could transplant them quite happily if
she grew the seedlings in loo-roll, or even kitchen-roll, centres.
These were long enough that the root wasn't disturbed when she
transplanted them. As long as they were well watered in, the
cardboard could be left in situ to rot down in the soil.


--
Cheers, Serena

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. (Oscar Wilde)