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Planting parsnips and growing vegetables on your site is easy. Parsnip belongs to the Umbrella family and is closely related to carrots and celery. Has a root vegetable similar to them. A spicy vegetable grows in a biennial or perennial culture. The cold-resistant and unpretentious root vegetable has a sweetish taste with some bitterness, reminiscent of the taste of celery. Young parsnip leaves are also edible.
Popular varieties of parsnips
Breeding work on the appearance of new varieties of parsnips is practically not carried out, therefore there are few varieties of culture. For cultivation, varieties are selected depending on the quality of the soil on the site. On clay soils, it is most favorable to grow rounded root crops.
- Petrik - mid-season, high-yield variety. The shape of the root crop is conical. The pulp is dense, juicy, gray-white with aroma. Weight - 150-200 g, diameter - 4-8 cm, length - 20-35 cm. The surface is smooth, the rind is white. Landing: April-May. The period from germination to ripening is 84-130 days. The variety is valued for its medicinal and dietary qualities, plant resistance to diseases.
- Round - one of the earliest ripening varieties, the vegetative period is from 60 to 110 days. The shape is round and flattened, sharply tapering downward, diameter - 6-10 cm, length - 8-15 cm. Weight - 100-163 g. The color of the peel is grayish-white. The core is grayish-white with the presence of a light yellow rim. The aroma is pungent. Landing: April-March, harvesting - October. Root crops of the variety are easily removed from the soil.
- Chef - mid-early variety. The surface is uneven, white. The shape is conical, the core is gray-white with a light yellow rim. The pulp is coarse, slightly juicy, white. The aroma is pungent. Landing - in April-May. The growing season is 80-85 days. The root crop does not protrude from the soil surface during cultivation. Ideal for conservation. Both the root and the leaves are used as a medicinal plant.
- White stork - mid-season variety. The surface is smooth and white. The shape is conical, weight - 90-110 g. The pulp is white, juicy. Differs in high productivity, leveled root crops. Good taste. Excellent keeping quality. The aroma is strong. The increased content of vitamins. The growing season is 117 days. Landing - April, May. Cleaning - August-September.
Best of all mid-early grade. From germination to ripening - 90-100 days, in the southern regions - 60-80 days. The shape of the root crop is cone-shaped, shortened. The surface is smooth and white. The pulp is white, juicy. When grown, it is completely submerged in the soil, but it is well extracted. Weight - 100-140 g. The aroma is good, the taste is excellent. Root crops grow leveled, well stored. They contain a high amount of vitamins. Planting - late April, storage - early May.
The vegetable is frost-hardy, therefore it is suitable for growing in various regions, regardless of the climate. When grown in the Northern regions, the long growing season of the crop is taken into account. In these regions, it is most favorable to grow parsnips through seedlings.
Parsnip has a low nutritional value, but a high vitamin value. Also suitable for animal and bird feed. But wild parsnips are poisonous.
Growing features
Parsnip is a herbaceous plant that forms a powerful root that goes deep into the soil. The rosette of leaves is well developed. In the first year it forms a root crop, in the second it throws out flowering shoots and forms seeds. Root crops of the second year are not used for food.
Seedlings tolerate frosts down to -5 ° С, adult plants - up to -8 ° С. Therefore, it is suitable for early and winter planting. Parsnips are one of the last to be harvested, while its tops remain green for a long time.
Given the characteristics of the root crop, its cultivation requires loose, fertile soils with a deep arable layer. In heavy, clayey soils, roots become uneven. Acidified soils for growing parsnips are also not suitable. It is best to grow the crop on light loam and sandy loam soils.
The culture is hygrophilous, but does not tolerate waterlogging, including from the close occurrence of groundwater. Parsnips are photophilous, especially in the first period of cultivation. Therefore, the landing site must be well lit. Even some shading reduces yields by 30-40%.
Any crops can be predecessors, but it is most favorable to grow after pumpkin, potatoes and onions.
Growing parsnips from seeds through seedlings
The parsnip is propagated by seeds. From the photo and video on how to properly grow parsnips from seeds, you can see that the seeds of the culture are light, large and flat. They are purchased commercially or harvested from their own collection.
The uterine root crop is stored in winter, in a cool room. In the next season, it is planted in the soil, the plant forms a peduncle and in the fall the seeds ripen.
Parsnips are grown from last year's planting stock. For seeds with a longer shelf life, the germination percentage is greatly reduced.
The seeds of the spicy crop are hard-growing due to the high content of essential oils on their shell. Therefore, for sowing, they need to be prepared in advance.
Presowing seed preparation:
- Soaking. The seeds of a spicy plant are covered with an etheric shell, through which moisture is difficult to pass and a sprout breaks through. Therefore, to accelerate the germination process, essential oils from the surface of the seeds must be washed off. To do this, they are placed in warm water for a day. During this time, the water is changed to fresh water several times.
- Checking the quality of seeds. In order to determine the viability of seeds, they are laid out in a damp cloth, covered with a plastic bag. After a few days, they are washed. Inspect and determine the condition of the seeds. Viable ones will swell slightly. Low-quality seeds at this stage of preparation become moldy and have an unpleasant odor.
- Hardening. Swollen, but not germinated seeds are stored for about a week in a damp cloth in the refrigerator. They are laid out on the uppermost shelf, which is closer to the freezer. Make sure that the environment in which the seeds are kept remains moist. Alternate 16-18 hours stay in the refrigerator with transfer to room temperature for 6-8 hours.
Also, for better germination, the seeds are sprayed with growth stimulants. Seeds prepared before planting germinate on the soil 2 times faster than dry seeds.
When to sow parsnips for seedlings
Growing parsnips for seedlings begins a month before planting in open ground.Depending on the region of cultivation, the sowing date is counted from the date when the soil warms up. Also, at the time of planting, frost-free weather should be established.
Preparation of containers and soil
Young seedlings are susceptible to fungal disease - black leg. Fungal spores can be found in the soil and on the surfaces of previously used planting containers. Therefore, before planting, containers and soil must be disinfected. To do this, use solutions of fungicides or pour boiling water over the planting materials.
The soil for planting parsnips is prepared loose, for this the soil is sifted through a sieve, perlite is added to the composition. It is best to plant seeds immediately in separate containers or peat tablets, so that when planting in open ground, less damage to the root system.
How to properly plant parsnips with seeds
Before planting, the soil is slightly compacted so that it is 1 cm below the edge of the container, spilled with water. Seeds are laid out in several pieces and sprinkled with soil on top. To create the necessary microclimate, containers are covered with foil.
When growing parsnips in peat tablets, they are placed in a mini-greenhouse - a container with a lid before sprouts appear. Crops are periodically ventilated. It will take several weeks for seedlings to emerge.
Features of growing parsnip seedlings
Caring for parsnip seedlings is simple. When seedlings appear, the containers are rearranged to a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight.
In prolonged and cloudy weather, the seedlings are illuminated so that they do not stretch too much. The total lighting time is 14 hours.
Water the sprouts sparingly without the formation of moisture stagnation. At the seedling stage, seedlings develop very slowly. Young seedlings of vegetable crops resemble parsley or celery leaves, but larger.
When and how to dive
Plants are not recommended to dive due to the fact that even from a slight disturbance of the root system, young shoots stop developing. Therefore, when growing seedlings of vegetable crops, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving the strongest seedling. When thinning, they do not pull out, but carefully trim unnecessary shoots at soil level. For this, a sharp, disinfected instrument is used.
When can I transplant to the beds
Parsnip seedlings are transferred to the beds at the age of one month. A week before, the seedlings are hardened, gradually increasing their exposure to the fresh air. Plants are planted in mid-March, observing the distance, so as not to thin out in the future.
Parsnips do not tolerate transplanting well, therefore, when planting it in open ground, they try not to damage the root system. When growing seedlings in peat cups or tablets, they are transferred to the ground without removing the shell.
How to plant parsnips with seeds outdoors
The parsnip bed has been prepared from the previous season. Manure and lime are applied 1-2 years before cultivation. Fresh organic matter causes an increased formation of tops to the detriment of the correct formation of the root crop. Peat and coarse sand are introduced into heavy soils.
Parsnip seeds germinate at + 2 ° C. Seedlings are frost-resistant. But the optimum temperature for the development of seedlings is + 16 ... + 20 ° С.
When to sow parsnips outdoors
The vegetable culture has a long growing season, therefore, the cultivation of parsnips in the open field from seeds begins in early spring after thawing of the soil or sowing it before winter. Planting parsnips in the spring in a non-seedling way is carried out in April - early May.
Landing before winter has its own characteristics. If the seeds are sown too early, then with return thaws they will start to grow and there will be no harvest next season. Therefore, podzimny sowing is carried out on frozen soil. To do this, the holes on the ridge are prepared in advance, and the soil for falling asleep is stored indoors at above-zero temperatures.
For sowing in the autumn, dry seeds are used.The seeds are laid out in the hole thicker than with spring sowing. Seedlings appear in early spring, the crop yield with such a planting is higher. The crop ripens 2 weeks earlier than with spring sowing.
Site selection and preparation of beds
In the fall, the ridge is freed from plant residues of the previous culture. If there is a shallow arable layer on the site, the ridge is raised. For this, the sides are installed so that the soil does not crumble and the required amount of soil is added.
When grown, the spice plant takes out a lot of potassium from the soil. Therefore, during the autumn digging, add 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate per 1 sq. m and potash fertilizers. The garden bed for the winter is closed with cut green manure or other mulch.
In the spring, before planting, the soil is loosened to a depth of 10 cm, large lumps are broken, the surface is carefully leveled. During spring preparation, ash is introduced into the ridge.
How to plant parsnips with seeds directly in open ground
When grown, parsnips form a large volume of leaf mass. Therefore, when planting parsnips in open ground, a more rarefied scheme is used than for other root crops. The width between the rows is 30-35 cm. For sowing, holes are marked with a depth of 2-2.5 cm, using a one-line or two-line scheme. Due to the uneven germination of seeds, sowing of parsnips in open ground is carried out densely. After sowing, the soil is pressed down to ensure better seed-to-soil contact.
During the long germination of parsnip seeds, the ridge becomes overgrown with weeds and it becomes difficult to determine the places of sowing for care. For this, beacon cultures are planted nearby. These are fast emerging plants: lettuce, mustard or radish.
Crops that emerge early denote seeding rows, which allows the soil to be loosened and weeds removed without damaging the seedlings.
After sowing, the ridge is covered with foil before shoots appear. Parsnips, in addition to long germination, also develop slowly in the first period of growth. Therefore, unlike carrots, it is not used as a bunch of products, when the first harvest of a vegetable that has not yet ripened to the end is consumed.
Usually parsnips are grown in combination with carrots and other crops. They are also sown along paths or berry fields. Usually, plantings take up little space, so it will not be difficult to grow parsnips in the country.
Thinning
Thinning is a must when growing a parsnip vegetable. The root crop grows large, so it needs a sufficient area. Plants that are not thinned form small roots.
The first thinning is carried out during the period when 2-3 true leaves appear, leaving 5-6 cm gaps between the plants. The second time the crops are thinned when 5-6 leaves appear, at this time 12-15 cm are left between the plants.
How to grow parsnips outdoors
When properly grown, the plant turns out to be juicy and fleshy, has a pleasant taste and aroma. Round shapes grow about 10 cm in diameter, cone-shaped in length reach 30 cm.
When planting and caring for parsnips in the open field, do not allow the soil to dry out. During the growing season, plants are watered 5-6 times, adjusting watering depending on the weather. For 1 sq. m planting use 10-15 liters of water. The plant needs watering especially in the middle of summer. After moistening, the soil is loosened, slightly hilling the roots.
A month after the emergence of seedlings, in order to provide nutrition to a large plant with a large volume of vegetative mass, fertilizers are applied. It is effective to use a solution of mullein at a ratio of 1:10 or an infusion of bird droppings at a rate of 1:15.
During the period of growing leaf mass, it becomes easier to grow a parsnip vegetable. Leaves cover the soil, keeping moisture in it, inhibiting the growth of weeds.
Care must be taken when growing and caring for parsnips outdoors. The essential oils in the leaves cause skin burns similar to those of stinging nettle. Leaves are especially irritating to the skin in humid or hot weather. Therefore, when working on loosening or thinning, open areas of the body are protected. Works are carried out in cloudy weather.
Harvesting and storage
When grown in suitable soil, root crops of the same variety grow aligned, without distortion or damage. Such instances are used for storage.
The peculiarity of parsnips is that the roots can not be dug out, but left in the soil for the winter. So, they keep well until spring and remain edible. But so that the taste does not deteriorate, in the spring they must be dug out before the growth of the vegetative mass. Vegetables left in the ground, especially in a harsh winter, are additionally covered with spruce branches and snow.
When to dig up parsnips
Parsnips are harvested from the ridge one of the last among vegetable crops or together with carrots, but before the onset of frost on the soil. It is difficult to extract vegetables of some varieties with an elongated shape, so they are dug in with a pitchfork. When digging, they try not to damage the root crops, otherwise they will be poorly stored. The tops are cut, leaving a low stump. The remaining soil is carefully cleaned off. The vegetables are dried.
How to store root parsnips in winter
The vegetable culture is well stored in cool rooms at a temperature of about 0 ° C and a humidity of 90-95%. Vegetables are put in boxes, sprinkled with moderately moist sand. Parsnips are also stored on shelves. Parsnips are stored both in whole and in processed form. The root vegetable can be frozen and dried.
Conclusion
You can plant parsnips in early spring or fall. The culture is undemanding to growing conditions, cold-resistant. The vegetable is rich in nutrients and has a balanced mineral composition. It is used as a flavoring additive in main courses and soups. Keeps well fresh and processed.
