Re: Parsnips,was Styrofoam etc.

On Thu 08 Oct, Thomas-Fonta Hegerich wrote:
> A trick learned after years of frustration in
> trying to get carrots and parsnips in particular to germinate is, in the
> garden  after preparing seed bed, and distributing seed on top of bed,
> cover lightly with starting mix, tamp lightly with garden rake....then
> cover row with several thickness of burlap, old burlap bags folded over
> work well, keep burlap damp, check germination frequently and remove
> immediately after germination  occurs. This prevents soil from drying
> out and caking and helps prevent seed from washing out with rain.
>          T.J. Hegerich, N. Va Zone 6-7
We don't have "burlap"
I used to grow parsnips by direct sowing, troubles were you don't get
good or even reliable germination, there weren't enough seeds in the
packet for spares and because of the slow germination the weeds got
there first and you couldn't find the parsnips. We now use rootrainers
which are in effect dismantleable tall tubular modules, sow earlyish
before the ground is really fit, and plant out before the tap root has
got too long.

-- 
Allan Day  Hereford HR2 7AU allan@crwys.demon.co.uk
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