Parsnips and Spinach

Overwintered spinach in center,  3/23/12

      I had almost given up on growing spinach as it seems to be a critter magnet.  Particularly little teeny, tiny sap suckers that you will miss unless looking for them.  This plant in the middle of the above photo has overwintered, and is now putting on a great burst of new, clean spring growth.  Planting spinach in the fall to come back in the spring before the bugs get it, is probably the best way to grow organic spinach that I have found.  But still willing to try to get in a fresh spring crop, I started this America Spinach with the paper towel method:

America Spinach starts,  3/23/12

      The larger plants are a couple of spinach that overwintered.  The smaller ones are the starts just put in yesterday.

Parsnip starts, 3/23/12

      Thirty some years ago in Michigan was the last time that I grew parsnips successfully.  Usually they just don't bother to come up when seeded directly in the ground.  So I started these with the paper towel method and transplanted them just after germination to cell packs.  The garden pros do not suggest starting root crops to transplant, as it may deform the root.  Hopefully these little guys are not aware of that rule.

      I put the top row in a couple of days ago, and was so happy with the way they took, that I added more along the bottom.  Quite a few more were put in the bed over by the cardoon.  I am hoping for some big fat roots this fall to store over winter to add to soups or a medley of baked root crops.