[daveypark]

Last year I let my old parsnips go to seed for the birdies to have something to eat and now I've got hundreds of little parsnips showing through, must be 3 inches high or so.
It's not a big bed of them perhaps 5m x 1m and we're not short of space but is it worth leaving them, thinning them out or just dig them in?

Typical isn't it, the rows of parsnip seed that I sowed hardly showed at all!

[gobs]

If you have room, might as well leave them, highly unlikely they got cross-pollinated.

[daveypark]

Dandy, cheers Gobs.

They have been overwintered now and looking quite strong.
Perhaps I should be sowing parsnips at the end of summer instead of Spring. 

[gobs]

Probably, you can.

[daveypark]

Honestly???

I have overwintered broad beans, onions and stuff but never roots before.

Is this a well known method then?

[Trillium]

Whatever you decide, don't try to thin and transplant them because you'll only get forked novelties. They detest transplanting.

And yes, sometimes some seeds need a good chill to break seed dormancy. You could always experiment this fall; just be sure to clearly mark off the seeded row so you won't forget come spring.

[daveypark]

Many thanks, will try a properly conducted trial this Autumn.
I won't try to transplant any extras as there's far too many already!

[gobs]

Do not transplant them at all, obviously.

As biannuals, probably can be sown in autumn, however, why it's not commonly done, might have it's reasons. I have never tried.

Not much to lose, anyhow.

[azubah]

You might have hit on something there..has anyone who has difficulty with parsnip seeds ever put some in the freezer for a few days before trying to germinate them?..or sown them in the autumn?

[Trillium]

I've never frozen seeds before, but I remember it used to be recommended at one time.

[SnooziSuzi]

ooh,  might try a bit of autumn sowing this year then to see if I can get a head start on mine

[DD.]

The problem could be that as biennials, they will now be in their second season and could be prone to bolt.

I'm not saying they will - just could do.

[Salmo]

That is just what I think DD.

Seed producers often sow biennials like beet in late Summer or Autumn so that they seed the following year.