I last week dug my first parsnips this season, variety - "Countess".
Out of the half dozen there was one that was incredibly bitter after cooking
(so much so, as to make it inedible).
It looked no different from the rest which were cooked at the same time in the
same dish, and were of very good flavour.
Does anyone have any experience of this?
Could this be a varietal problem or perhaps unfavourable
growing conditions (very dry this year in South Glos.)?
I would be grateful for any information.
Many thanks
Charles Drown

"shazzbat" wrote in message ...
This year I am intending to try the method of germinating them on
wet tissue paper and then transplanting. Has anybody tried this? With what
success? And how big do you let them get before planting out?

This months garden answers has something in it about this method. You
sprout the seed (so that the seeds are just about splitting and no
more) on the paper and then mix into some already wet water retaining
gel. Then mix gently and use a placcy bag with a hole to sqeeze out a
line onto your plot. The gel protects the delicate seeds/sprouts and
gives them a good start in life.
I am not sure when you are supposed to do all this though? March? I
guess it is a bit too early in the year right now?
sarah a

"sahara" wrote I am not sure when you are supposed to do all this though?
March? I
guess it is a bit too early in the year right now?

My late father grew wonderful parsnips, every year. He used to sow them
in early February (frost permitting and without any special preparation of
the seed) and he gardened 800' up in the Durham Pennines. I've sown them
at the same time, here in SE England, using seeds set in paper tape, and
have had the same consistently good results.

Another piece of received wisdom (from my Grandfather this time) was that
parsnips should never be lifted until they'd had a good hard frost on
them. He said they didn't taste as good before that. With the climate we
have now, waiting for that "decent frost" might be a problem for some!


- Tom Bennett

In article , Tom Bennett
writes
"sahara" wrote I am not sure when you are supposed to do all this though?
March? I
guess it is a bit too early in the year right now?

My late father grew wonderful parsnips, every year. He used to sow them
in early February (frost permitting and without any special preparation of
the seed) and he gardened 800' up in the Durham Pennines. I've sown them
at the same time, here in SE England, using seeds set in paper tape, and
have had the same consistently good results.

They take a very long time to germinate, and the seed must be fresh (not
the remains of last year's). I find it helpful to plant a radish seed
every couple of inches - the radishes come up quickly and remind me
where the row of parsnips is meant to be. They don't need to be planted
deeply. In the SE I used to plant in April and water the drill before
sowing.

Another piece of received wisdom (from my Grandfather this time) was that
parsnips should never be lifted until they'd had a good hard frost on
them. He said they didn't taste as good before that. With the climate we
have now, waiting for that "decent frost" might be a problem for some!


My mother told me that the frost stimulates production of sugar as a
sort of 'antifreeze'.

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

TIA,

Sarah

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

TIA,

Sarah

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

TIA,

Sarah

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

TIA,

Sarah

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.
Mind you it may have been beginners luck, as the year before my Brussels
Sprouts were excellent, this year a poorer crop and a lack of hardness.

Cheers
John T

--
If emailing direct please remove
wet from towill.

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.
Mind you it may have been beginners luck, as the year before my Brussels
Sprouts were excellent, this year a poorer crop and a lack of hardness.

Cheers
John T

--
If emailing direct please remove
wet from towill.

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 22:51:32 +0000, shazzbat wrote:
I have had a very low success rate with parsnips, they just don't show. I

I too would like info on this issue - I'd love to grow parsnips - my
results over 2 years trying have been 1 parsnip!!!

My FIL has recommeneded very fresh seed, and soaking for 24hrs before
sowing - but that got me nowhere!

I'm contemplating pot sowing indoors in an effort to get the B*ggers to
germinate and then plant outdoors. It could well be my heavy damp high
clay content welsh soil affecting the germination.

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.
Mind you it may have been beginners luck, as the year before my Brussels
Sprouts were excellent, this year a poorer crop and a lack of hardness.

Cheers
John T

--
If emailing direct please remove
wet from towill.

"John Towill" wrote in message
. ..

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.

A lot of stuff forks if the soil is too rich. My first year I had terrible
problems but the second year in the same soil gave much better crops.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"John Towill" wrote in message
. ..

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.

A lot of stuff forks if the soil is too rich. My first year I had terrible
problems but the second year in the same soil gave much better crops.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"John Towill" wrote in message
. ..

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.

A lot of stuff forks if the soil is too rich. My first year I had terrible
problems but the second year in the same soil gave much better crops.

OK, thanks everyone, I'll try some of those ideas.

Steve

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"John Towill" wrote in message
. ..

I grew parsnips (Gladiator from Suttons), very successful, we are still
eating them! Though the first ones were much longer, the second sowing
short and very fat with a tendency to fork, I think that was because the
soil was not as deep.

A lot of stuff forks if the soil is too rich. My first year I had terrible
problems but the second year in the same soil gave much better crops.

OK, thanks everyone, I'll try some of those ideas.

Steve