[mumofstig]

I use toilet roll tubes to start my parsnips in, they always work a treat for me. Fill roll up with compost pop in a seed, spray with water, once they have germinated and are about two inches tall I just dig a hole and put the whole thing in the ground that way the roots are not distrubed.

I'm surprised this works for you with parsnips  :blink:
By the time they open their real leaves the tap root is already at the bottom of the tube. If you leave them to grow any bigger before transplanting you end up with forked roots 

[Headgardener22]

Maybe you could experiment? If so, I'd be glad to hear how you get on.

Went to the allotment today and have the following results:

Parsnips sown in soil direct: Nothing showing
Parsnips sown on compost in soil: Good germination of seedlings
Chitted Parsnips in soil: Nothing showing
Chitted parsnips in compost on soil: 50% survived
Chitted Parsnips transplanted to allotment: 80% survived

Conclusion: Putting a line of compost in the seed drill, sowing seed on top then covering with more compost seems to be best (in 2013).

I did the same with my seeds this year and I've go good germination of everything. Obviously I got the timing just right this year.

[RJR_38]

Interesting to remember for next year. I sowed direct 3 weeks ago and have seen nothing Do you think it will be too late to try again this weekend?

[Headgardener22]

Mine went in on the 16th April and they're only just showing (although there is at least one seedling at each station in the ones that have germinated). So probably yours are just yet to show.

The one thing I've noticed (with everything) is that its all down to timing (and luck). Plant something one day and it does well, plant it a couple of days later and it doesn't (or vice versa).

 

[salmonking]

Interesting to remember for next year. I sowed direct 3 weeks ago and have seen nothing Do you think it will be too late to try again this weekend?

I sowed direct about 5 weeks ago and still nothing!!trouble ive got weeds growing now and I don't know if the parsnips are there or just weeds!

[RJR_38]

I will keep hoping then. I sowed thickly and used the whole packet as I know the seed is only useable for 1 year anyway - I would have thought I would get a few germinate at least!

[JayG]

Interesting to remember for next year. I sowed direct 3 weeks ago and have seen nothing Do you think it will be too late to try again this weekend?

At a soil temperature of 10C (50F) parsnips still take 4 weeks to germinate, and the soil will have been very cold until recently - if you still feel you want to re-sow try to do it somewhere else or at least alongside rather than on top of the existing row/s.

[RJR_38]

I knew they took a long time to germinate. I measured our soil temp and it has been an average of 9 degrees here for the past few weeks. We have had it warm and I get a lot of sun on the plot. I am happy to wait it out and see what happens in the next 2 weeks

[Coldfeet]

I sowed mine on 14th April and first showing on 1st May.  Must be luck - did nothing special, just straight in the ground.   

[Ema]

I've sown mine in a block of rows and marked the boundary with string. Strangly I have sown radish inbetween the rows as I'm trying to make the most of what soil I've dug

[3759allen]

mine haven't started to come through yet must be a month outside and a couple of weeks in the poly tunnel. i wasn't planning to grow them in the tunnel, but wanted to make sure it was low soil temp not making them germinate rather than dodgy seed.

[seaside]

Two chitting  attempts at the beginning of April failed miserably. I assume it was a duff packet.
New packet, sown 3 to a paper pot, on 26 April, in a cold greenhouse that has had a reasonable amount of sunshine are at last starting to show today ... phew. Delighted. Will be putting them out before they hit the bottom, another week at the most I am assuming.

[seaside]

Well, tore off the bottom of a couple of the parsnip paper pots and there was the first small sign of a root. I know the roots grows before then seed leaves push up but that surely is rather quick  ... the leaves only surfaced 2 or 3 days ago. 
So scrub my initial plan as above, I shall be planting them all out toute suite tomorrow am under fleece for a couple of days to protect from the wind and marauding pests ( don't think there's any carrot fly yet ), they really are tiny. Is the protection really necessary, or am I being rather a little too parsnip about this ? along with Brussels they have got under my skin over the last couple of years and I'm determined to have success.

[salmonking]

I gave up on mine this morning.opened up the rows and nothing just the seeds,so now there is beetroot in its place!

[JayG]

Well, tore off the bottom of a couple of the parsnip paper pots and there was the first small sign of a root. I know the roots grows before then seed leaves push up but that surely is rather quick  ... the leaves only surfaced 2 or 3 days ago. 
So scrub my initial plan as above, I shall be planting them all out toute suite tomorrow am under fleece for a couple of days to protect from the wind and marauding pests ( don't think there's any carrot fly yet ), they really are tiny. Is the protection really necessary, or am I being rather a little too parsnip about this ? along with Brussels they have got under my skin over the last couple of years and I'm determined to have success.

Can't speak for the wind or your local pests, but you may as well cover them for a few days if you are concerned about them. As for carrot fly, parsnips (and parsley) can and do get attacked too, although the damage is usually fairly minor compared to the wipe-out they can inflict on carrots.