This is the last post for the month of September and what a lovely month it has been. The weather, while cooler at nights has been largely warm and pleasant with very little rain - a real 'Indian Summer'. As a result I've had plenty of time to work on the allotment.
Yesterday (Sunday) I decided to check out the small row of parsnips I sowed back in March (see 16 March '14 post). For the first time I used the bar method, that is, using a large cane or metal bar inserted into the ground and waggled in a circle to create a cone shaped hole. The hole is then filled with a light compost and sand mixture and a few seeds sown on top which are thinned to one strong plant.
.jpg)
I did the same with the carrots this year which were successful. The parsnips are Gladiator F1, a good variety. So, what about the parsnips then? Any good? Oh yes, both the variety and the method seemed to work very well indeed.
.jpg)
I tried to dig a parsnip out with a trowel but had to resort to a large fork in the end. It took ages to get out of the ground. I managed to snap a piece off the bottom but the parsnip still weighed in at over two pounds, (1 kg). I like the thick stumpy type as the long thin parsnips are a pain to prepare for eating. The Gladiator F1 are canker resistant and are slow to go 'woody'.
.jpg)
I've been doing a bit of weeding around the fruit bed too. The strawberries have put out loads of runners and had to be chopped back. I should really use some of these as new plants but I have so many strawberries now I decided not to add any more rows as the ones I have are only a two years old or younger. Maybe I'll take runners next year.
I took the nets off the Brussels Sprouts and the Winter cabbages this week, I figure the butterflies won't be hatching too many caterpillars now. The sprouts (Trafalgar F1) are doing well and I gave them a quick liquid feed in the hope it will give them a boost while the weather is still pleasant. The Winter cabbages needed a serious weeding around their bases and a few of the leaves have been attacked by pests. Nevertheless, the Ormskirk Savoy are developing good hearts with thick, crinkly, dark green leaves.
.jpg)
That's it for September, bye for now.
Sean, I just pulled a few of my paranips. Most need to be grown on to a larger size, but the largest one seemed to have an inner core, which I took to mean it would be woody, and a symptom of our much warmer climate. Am I correct? Perhaps parsnipts are not the best thing to grow. I am debating pulling them, and using the space for more fall planted onions. Should I be patient? I watered them daily through our drought ridden summer, and still they seem woody.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteWoody cores can be a problem, you're right, it's usually because of a lack of moisture or letting them get too mature. If you're thinking of making space then pull them up, prepare, blanch and freeze the best - that way you get parsnips and space for onions.