Parsnips

[Ian Foster]

Hi,

I harvested my first ever Parsnips. The variety was "Student".

As per the attached picture, they are short & fat with a number of roots.

Why is that ?

Thanks

Ian

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Ian, there’s a few things that can cause this.
Fresh manure has often been blamed for causing this but, i’m not convinced it does.
It’s more likely to be stony ground, compacted ground about 6 inches deep! But with the last couple of years being hot dry Summers, there’s just not enough moisture lower down in the ground, to make the tap root swell….so you end up with the top swelling, then putting out extra side roots, to get to the moisture that’s in the top 4 inches of soil.
So they need a really good soaking, once a week, when they are at the four leaf stage….

[Geoff]

And did you sow in situ or transplant?

[Ian Foster]

I transplanted.

[Geoff]

I think they do best direct sown. Fork the ground over quite deeply and sow in a drill. Can dry sow or use seed that has just sprouted on strips of kitchen paper. I don't know where you are but I sow rather later than is often suggested. I warm the patch up with cloches and then sow first or second week in April. Put the cloche back so I can use slug pellets protected from the rain.

[oldherbaceous]

I’m with, Geoff, on the later sowing….used to sow really early but, often got bad germination and the ones I did get were huge….and Cook wasn’t impressed at all!