Or all about parsnips!!
Someone once told me that in order for parsnip seed to ‘take’, it must be extremely fresh – WELL, you can’t get fresher than this!! I have purposely allowed a couple of this year’s parsnips to go to flower (they have beautiful umbellifer shaped flowers which are excellent for bringing in bees & ladybirds). And now, some of them have finally reached the stage at which they are about to spill their seed…..
And so I cut the spent flower heads off and took them immediately to my newly prepared bed from where I’d just removed all the chard…..
And I scattered all the ripe seed on the ground, in what will be the winter root veg bed for 2012 – (I’m trying to get a head start as I would REALLY like parsnips in autumn) – probably wishful thinking, but you can see, I’m trying…..
I then took some earth & scattered it through my trusty potting riddle to lightly cover the seed….
So now I just need to keep my fingers crossed – this is called gardening on a wing and a prayer – my usual style!!