On Sat, 5 Mar 2011 22:03:23 -0000, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

When my German friend visited me, she tasted parsnips for the first time and
loved them. They seem to be unusual on the continent for some reason.
I sent her a packet of seed a couple or three years ago and she grew them
very successfully - the soil where she lives is perfect for them, it's
almost like sand. So I sent her some more in her birthday parcel (Sept) and
she told me a month or so ago that when the snow had gone, briefly, and the
temp was up to a tropical 3C, she'd sown a row or two.

I said I thought it was far too early and now (what a surprise!) the temp is
down to -10C again there.
What are the chances of those seeds surviving and germinating? I know
parsnips can be difficult germinators (is that a word?) at the best of
times.
I have no experience to offer her, root veggies hate my quite heavy clay
soil and as I don't particularly like parsnips I never tried to grow them
anyway ;-)
My friend is a vegetarian so having a new veg to eat is a good thing.
In short what I'm asking is what are the optimum conditions for sowing
parsnips, bearing in mind they are not the easiest: and did poor Nüle, in
her enthusiasm for the root veg she had never tasted and now loves, condemn
the seeds to death by planting them too early in the German climate?
The trouble with Germany is, I thought their climate was similar to ours.
Well, sort of - but when it's summer it's hot and remains the same for
ges - I went in August and nearly fried - 30C at 9.30 a.m! Winter is the
same - it snows big time and remains for weeks at -15c.
I'm visiting in May this year ;-) not just for the easier temperature for a
Brit but to do some birdwatching and hear the thrush nightingales sing - she
is just on the furthest range where they can be heard.
I nearly saw a black redstart there last time - I saw it's tail disappearing
into a bush..

Any parsnip thoughts welcome.

Tina

I've got to talk previous years as the veg patch is no more this year.
On the one hand, parsnips need a long growing period but on the other
they need a bit of warmth to germinate. I'd guess that early Feb (or
even January) is probably a bit too early but it's not uncommon for
parsnips to take weeks to germinate.

My method is (was):

1) get a little seed tray thing without holes in the bottom (I think
they're called gravel trays) .
2) lay 2-3 sheets of kitchen roll in the bottom and moisten them (just
damp)
3) spread the seeds over the kitchen roll
4) lay another sheet of damp kitchen roll over the top
5) seal the tray in a plastic bag
6) put in airing cupboard
7) when seeds germinate in about 2-3 weeks, get them in the ground

Someone told me that they also used this method but put the packet of
seeds in the fridge for a week beforehand. I've never done the fridge
thing but they said they achieved far better germination rates when
they fridged than when they didn't.

Jake