[flopsy]

Hi daft question.

I read on the forum that it is good idea to start parsnips off in toilet rolls prior to planting out, and from what i've read seem quite popular.

Can you start carrots off in doors on top of toilet rolls and then plant out when the leaves start to show? or does this not work

cheers pete

[arh]

Well, I have just done this, though to be honest, I dont think toilet roll centres are long enough for either parsnips or carrots, I made up some 6"x 2" richie pots, the parsnips are in the plot and, (touch wood), doing fine, whether it'll work I am not sure, only time will tell, but quite a few on here have said that it does, and that's good enough for me.

[Yorkie]

Not a silly question at all - and on this forum there are no silly questions anyway (someone else is bound to want to know the answer too!). 

Carrots and parsnips are the same family, so in principle the same approach should work.

One thing to highlight, for both of them, is that the root grows much more quickly than you think.  Do NOT delay planting them out or you''' end up with corkscrew veggies.

And also try to ensure that the top of the toilet roll does not stick up above the soil level (tear a bit off if you like), or it'll act as a wick and dehydrate the soil more quickly than it would otherwise do.

To be honest, I'm not sure how many people actually sow into rolls.  Quite a few germinate parsnips (but I've not seen anyone reporting doing it for carrots) on tissue paper, and plant out as soon as the little root shows.

I just plant direct - no faff, and by this time of year the soil is warming up sufficiently for germination to be more reliable and quicker than earlier in the year.  Sow a few seeds every few inches, and then thin out once you can see how many have germinated.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Most people chit parsnip seeds because they have problems with germination. Carrots seem happier to germinate than parsnips so it's less of an issue to chit carrot seeds.

If you've not grown carrots or parsnips before, try sowing direct first. You might not have any problems and will save yourself some work.