Having failed to get my parsnips (Tender & True) started by direct
sowing in the ground, I followed advice here and and placed another
batch of seeds between layers of damp kitchen paper towel and left these
in the airing cupboard. After a week, they are now beginning to sprout!

I have prepared 4 - 6 inch wide, deep holes in the veggie plot and
filled these with sifted fresh topsoil.

So, what to do now? Do I just carefully place the sprouted seeds atop
each deep hole and cover with a little topsoil and hope all will go
well? Or should I transfer the seedlings to, say, a peat-pot and put
them out later when they have grown on a bit more?

Ed (Herts, UK)

On May 1, 10:16*am, Ed ex@directory wrote:
Having failed to get my parsnips (Tender & True) started by direct
sowing in the ground, I followed advice here and and placed another
batch of seeds between layers of damp kitchen paper towel and left these
in the airing cupboard. * After a week, they are now beginning to sprout!


If you search for the word Parsnips in back posts from URG, you see
some tips. Bob Hobden grows them and has posted tips.

Doing what you did works with Pea and Bean seeds but I would not
normally do that with small seeds like from Parsnips. You can end up
with very straggly seedlings and they are probably too delicate to
plant out just yet. Given a choice, I would try growing them on in
small pots and plant them out in a few weeks after hardening them
off. However, this is all hypothetical as I have never grown one.

Outdoor sowing seems to be the way with Parsnips. Sometimes, seeds
fail to germinate if it coincides with a cold snap (depends on the
plant).

I have prepared 4 - 6 inch wide, deep holes in the veggie plot and
filled these with sifted fresh topsoil.

So, what to do now? *Do I just carefully place the sprouted seeds atop
each deep hole and cover with a little topsoil and hope all will go
well? *Or should I transfer the seedlings to, say, a peat-pot and put
them out later when they have grown on a bit more?

Ed (Herts, UK)

"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
...
Having failed to get my parsnips (Tender & True) started by direct sowing
in the ground, I followed advice here and and placed another batch of
seeds between layers of damp kitchen paper towel and left these in the
airing cupboard. After a week, they are now beginning to sprout!

I have prepared 4 - 6 inch wide, deep holes in the veggie plot and filled
these with sifted fresh topsoil.

So, what to do now? Do I just carefully place the sprouted seeds atop
each deep hole and cover with a little topsoil and hope all will go well?
Or should I transfer the seedlings to, say, a peat-pot and put them out
later when they have grown on a bit more?


Either of those ways should be OK. I would do the first, unless your soil is
particularly cold or wet.

Steve

"Ed" wrote
Having failed to get my parsnips (Tender & True) started by direct sowing
in the ground, I followed advice here and and placed another batch of
seeds between layers of damp kitchen paper towel and left these in the
airing cupboard. After a week, they are now beginning to sprout!

I have prepared 4 - 6 inch wide, deep holes in the veggie plot and filled
these with sifted fresh topsoil.

So, what to do now? Do I just carefully place the sprouted seeds atop
each deep hole and cover with a little topsoil and hope all will go well?
Or should I transfer the seedlings to, say, a peat-pot and put them out
later when they have grown on a bit more?


Parsnips are notoriously slow to germinate until the earth is warm which is
why I haven't planted ours yet.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London