Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Multiple-root Parsnips …

Last Sunday I dug my first Parsnip.  It was pretty much perfect.  I had high hopes for the rest of the row.  This Sunday – my hopes were dashed.  Parsnip after parsnip was stunted and multi-rooted.  After several pullings I finally came upon normality.

Did you apply manure to the bed – I hear you ask – NO – is the answer.  The soil was friable – no hard pan to make the roots divide – so what went wrong – and why?

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I have no idea – have you?

13 comments:

  1. I'm worried now.... I haven't dug up any of mine yet. I'm afraid I can't offer any explanation as to why yours might have forked. Maybe it was the weather (our old standby scapegoat!)

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    1. It could have been the weather although I did keep them watered.

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  2. Did you direct sow the seed or plant pregerminated? Tap root damage? I wonder if something nibbled the tap root when tiny.Like Mark we haven't dug ours yet so you have me wondering.

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    1. They were direct sown - I looked it up and apparently there could have been some sort of nematode in the soil that causes it!

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  3. At least yours germinated. At this moment, I wouldn't mind stunted or forked ones, I only managed to get a handful to grow so I'm hoping for good things from them. I can't offer any explanation as to why yours have grown this way, it's usually if the bed's been manured or if the soil's very stoney that they fork.

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    Replies
    1. The bed they are in isn't that stoney - when I had my allotment I never had this problem and the soil there was full of stones.

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  4. What a shame that most were like that. I don't grow them so can't help as to what caused it. Flighty xx

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    1. Oh well - next year I think I'll grow them in a container in potting compost, and see if that's better.

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  5. Mine didn't even germinate! The only time mine came out like that was when I grew them in the greenhouse and then transplanted them, I have no idea what has caused that! What a shame!!!xxx

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    1. Oh that's a shame - I agree transplanting them doesn't work very well.

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  6. I've heard about this happening, but can't remember why. Shame!

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    1. It's a disappointment but not much I can do about it now.

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  7. No wisdom to offer, but I share your pain ! So depressing after all that hard work ! There's always next season!

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