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Veg to sow in summer
Paganrose
Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
Could someone please advise me if it is too late to sow parsnips now? I have just acquired a raised bed and would like to have a go at growing them for Christmas, they don't have to be huge. I don't want to waste seeds if they really wouldn't work at this time of year.
0
Posts
Parsnips do need a long growing season and I honestly think the seeds would be wasted if sown now. I sow mine in early March and they are decent size by Chrstmas. However, they do grow very well in raised beds with the bonus that they tend to germinate better than they do in the ground, so certainly try some next year. For this year I would concentrate on salad crops such as lettuce etc. Beetroot and turnips would also be worth trying as those grow fast. Hopefully others might chip-in with a few ideas?
Although it's a bit late, you could try a variety called 'Tender & True' (Thompson & Morgan have it). A lot of the winter veg seemed to take ages to germinate this year but they've all caught up. Raised bed temperature is higher than in the open ground so I think it would be worth the price of a packet of seeds.
On a general note, you should buy fresh parsnip seed each year (most others veg seeds keep well for another year).