Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi all,
I've read reference to people germinating parsnips on kitchen paper on another post - is there science in doing this, or are you just laying out seed on damp kitchen paper & waiting til it germinates ... like we used to with mustard & cress.

I've always grown my parsnips straight into the ground, but find this interesting - esp as they would be more advanced goin in, I wouldn't 'loose' the rows as easily to the weeds?

How long to you keep them on the paper for, & any guidance for handling / planting out

(if this is already on another thread I'm sorry - please direct me there)
Thanks
Skip

Parsnip seed is notorious for being difficult to germinate particularly if not 'fresh'. That's why people germinate on kitchen paper towel so as not to waste compost, just like growing cress. As soon as the seed germinates you transfer it to compost, preferably in something that helps the root to grow deep such as loo roll or root trainers.

Try it, skip, it really works. I used this method for the first time last year (having read about on this site) and they grew a treat!

I agree; germinate on damp kitchen paper and once the seeds have germinated transfer to loo rolls filled with potting compost. Grow on until an inch or two tall and plant the loo roll complete into the ground where it will rot down. Tip: I find a bulb planter ideal for making the hole for the loo roll. This method gave me my biggest parsnips ever this year.

Hi Skip,
I now generally pregerminate on damp kitchen paper and keep a very close eye on them. I wait until the root is either just emerged or you can see that they it is` going to. I plant into loo roll centres mainly although I have pregerminated and then sown direct and had splendid results using both methods.
If you have old seed the best method of checking if they are still viable is to test the seed over the Christmas Period and if they are no good gives you plenty of time to do something about it.
JB.

sorry I'm a bit confused here - a rea novice. I have put parsnip seeds on damp kitchen paper on a warmish light window sill. It's all very dry now do I try to keep moist.
Shall I start again? Penny

Yes Penny - you have to keep it moist, almost wet.

Many thanks for all of your responses, I really appreciate this & will give it a go. I especially like the idea of being able to plant out the seedling & loo roll direct - that hadn't occured to me atall!
Cheers
Skip

thanks
Penny

Penny - don't germinate in kitchen. Do it in the airing cupboard, if you've got one. It's faster. Put the kitchen paper in a margarine tub and put the lid on. You can stack them in the cupboard and check daily. Watch out for mould growing. I've done it this way for years and had good parsnips since I did it - never before.I'd also watch which variety you grow - tune it to your soil. If you've got basically heavy soil, don't try growing one of these long thin parsnips - do one of the stumpier ones. I don't bother with Tender and true because it splits and forks in my soil, but I think it was Gladiator I grew last year and had some lovely shaped and sized parsnips with it.

Hi Jane,
Another variety to use that will thrive in clayish heavy soil are White Gem. A shorter but broader variety with an excellent flavour and texture.
JB.

Countess is another good variety.

I've just experimented with some year-old parsnip seed on damp tissue paper and this morning found three seeds had started to sprout so have transferred to compost in loo rolls. I guess this means that the remaining seeds could sprout at any time if they're still viable but I've now run out of loo rolls. What do you folks do - save the empties in a carrier bag until they're needed? I'd better get the prunes out to speed up the process!

Why not try the paper pots, as per this site, or Poundland/Wilkinsons/etc - 30/36 biodegradable pots for a pound.

I've started parsnips off on kitchen paper this year after reading all the postings about it. How long, roughly, do they take to sprout? Mine have been in for about a week now. I suspect that my hot water tank is too well insulated and so the airing cupboard is not warm enough. Any thoughts?
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Granny