Growing parsnips through seedlings is ideal if spring comes late
The parsnip as a whole is an unpretentious plant, but it still has one drawback - it sprouts for a long time. Growing parsnips through seedlings speeds up the growing process. This is especially important for gardeners in the middle lane, where spring is late, and summer ends quickly. Parsnips planted in the beds already in the form of grown seedlings will ripen 2 months earlier. This increases the chances of good yields. How to grow parsnip seedlings and when to plant them outdoors?
When to sow parsnips for seedlings
When deciding on the timing of sowing seeds, it should be borne in mind that they will germinate for at least a month. This means that you need to sow parsnips early, around mid-March. Then, by mid-May, the bushes will have time to grow and get stronger, and will be ready to be transplanted to the garden.
To speed up the germination of seeds will help their daily soaking with the addition of a growth stimulator. Treated seeds, if they were of good quality and fresh, should emerge in two weeks.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
The main disadvantage of the seedling method of growing parsnips is the peculiarity of its root system. The root of the plant is long and does not tolerate transplanting well. Therefore, it is better to immediately plant the seeds in separate cups. This will help to avoid unnecessary transplants, which means injury to the roots.
It is better to put 2-3 seeds in one glass, given the low germination rate. If all sprout, you will need to leave the strongest seedling. The rest should be cut with scissors, but not pulled out. So you can accidentally damage a bush left for further cultivation.
The soil for seedlings must be prepared nutritious and light. You can use a ready-made peat-based substrate from the store.
It is easy to make a suitable soil mixture at home by mixing:
- leafy ground;
- peat;
- sand;
- a little perlite.
After planting, it is advisable to cover each glass with a film or put them in a common container with a lid. Thus, you get an impromptu greenhouse.
Growing parsnips through seedlings: how to care for seedlings
After all the seeds germinate, and it becomes clear that there will be no new shoots, the shelter can be removed. Now the seedlings need warmth and sunshine, and also regular watering. Daylight hours should be at least 14 hours, so you should take care of additional lighting, especially if the sowing was early.
Parsnips grown through seedlings are planted in open ground from the second half of May. If paper or peat cups were used, disembarkation is carried out along with the container. Seedlings in a plastic container must be carefully removed, lightly squeezing with your hands. It is advisable that the earthen lump remains intact - this way there is less risk of damaging fragile roots. Leave a distance of at least 10 cm between the bushes.