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Happy accident!!

chelchel Posts: 24
in Fruit & veg

Hiya All

Just thought I would let you know about a very happy accident I had this year in the veg plot!

I have had very variable results with my parsnip growing, mostly the germination rate had not been good - I got 4 parsnips one year!! Then this year I read that it is a good idea to put your seeds in the freezer for a few hours, so I put mine in and then must have had yet another 'Senior Moment' and forgot them. It was 3 weeks later that I discovered them, they had fallen down in the door compartment, I decided to use them and just about every one germinated!! I am still digging them up and enjoying roast parsnips 2-3 times a week!

If you follow my happy accident and do the same I hope your parsnips will be the best ever!!

Cheers Chel

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 21,044

    Thanks Chel, worth thinking about. I find that parsnips germinate better if you wait until April when the ground has warmed up a bit. Some seed packets say to sow them too early, then I find they don't germinate.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,411

    I agree Lizzie, I have a bumper crop of parsnips, dad says wait for the frost to get them, wait, no way! 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • MetheMethe Posts: 11

    I always chit my pparsnip seeds in wet tissue on the kitchen windowsill and normally get 100% germination after a couple of days.

  • chelchel Posts: 24

    Thanks everyone - all tips are good tips, I'll try them all this year...freezer, windowsill then plant out after April... can't fail!!image

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