Best way to grow parsnips

I always seem to have a problem growing parsnips yet others on my allotment site seem to have no trouble.I bought a new pack of seeds and put them into toilet roll holders in the greenhouse three weeks ago and no sign.Same last year put some in the holders andplanted some directly into the ground which had been prepared and never got one,Can anyone tell me the best way to grow them.I know you need new seeds every year which is what I do.

 

I'm no expert @Paul Blackburn and there may well be someone along to answer your query better than me! However I have grown Parsnips quite a few times.
Personally, because I live in quite a cold part of the world, I start mine off in a heated propogater for an early crop. I am not sure whereabouts you are.
Parsnips don't like being started off in cold soil so might be that you have started them off too early even in the greenhouse if it's not heated. I have also started them in seed trays (not in a propogater)in an unheated greenhouse but much later, say middle of May and had good germination even with seed that was 2 years old. To be honest the late sown ones more or less caught up with the earlier sown and as I always leave them in the ground over winter to get well frosted which makes them taste better Parsnips will tend to the last thing I sow. You still have plenty of time to try again, just try to keep them cosy until they are up and doing.

 

I usually start em on damp kitchen towel till I see the single root poking out, then stick em in the ground.

Rule of thumb ( or bum ) is that if you drop your trousers and put your bare bum on the soil and it makes you go

Then the soil is still to cold to direct sow

 

Oh terrific trust you @Zigs to bring down the tone of GC. Here was little miss me being all polite and then you appear!

 

Have I been naughty again

 

yup off to the naughty step.

 

After years of failed germinations in my cold, wet, clay soil, I now always start mine off in bog roll tubes.

Tip a small amount of MPC (sieve if there's lumps in it) into the tube and lightly tamp down using a short length of broom handle, curtain pole, etc., fill to within of 1/2" of top (using sieved compost), sow 3 seeds, fill tube to top [1].

Set tubes upright in cell trays, place in an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel, keep moist, and monitor for germination which normally takes 3 weeks [2]. Should more than one seed germinate pinch out the others.

Plant tubes with the tops beneath the surface of the ground. Check that ungerminated seeds haven't produced additional seedlings and remove ASAP to avoid tangled, stunted roots.


[1] Tubes projecting above ground level will cause moisture to be wicked away from the seedling.
[2] I now create a reminder in my online diary, plus avoid sowing dates 3 weeks before I'll be unavailable for planting out.

 

To my amazement, 1 has germinated from my direct sown ones in a raised box bed..whoo hoo!

Hoping the other ones show soon or it'll be very empty. Not bothered with bog rolls..maybe next year when my soils a bit better/less stoney

 

Hammer a metal rod/crowbar into the ground then waggle it around using a circular motion and fill the tapered hole with fine soil/MPC.