Milliways Mail order plant shop: Advice, tips and tricks.
HOW TO GROW Parsnips
Pastinaca sativa
First you must prepare the soil
Parsnips like a deeply dug, stone-free spot in earth that doesn't get boggy so well drained is must. They prefer neutral soil but are fine with a limy one. Parsnips do well in sun or part-day shade. Avoid freshly manured or enriched ground - a site manured for a previous crop is ideal. Add garden compost to the soil for growing parsnips the same year.
Pre germinate seeds by sowing them indoors on damp kitchen towel. Keep and eye on it though so they dont go stinky, or mouldy.
-Sow the seeds
Sow from February until April. Sow fresh seeds in moist drills, Ialway s use a bit of sand raked in to help drainage. Spacing seeds about 1/2in. (1.5cm) apart. Germination takes up to 14 days and can be erratic. Thin when seedlings appear to 4in. (10cm) apart for medium-sized roots.- Ah Grow on
Hoe the ground regularly between rows to keep weeds down pick out the stubborn ones. Water thoroughly once a week in dry spells. Canker, a fungal disease that turns the roots brown, can be a problem. Plants in wet, acid soils are most vulnerable, so lime the soil and improve drainage if necessary perlight or gravel helps. Carrot fly can be troublesome from June to August, so cover crops with fleece during this period if you must derris dust helps, but not anytime close to croping..
-Harvest the crop
Lift roots as required for the kitchen after the first frosts. Ease them up with a fork, then firm the earth back down around adjacent plants. Twist off leaves of harvested roots and brush clean (don't wash as they may rot). if you need tostore them make sure they are dry and store in the salad drawer of the fridge.
