Parsnip help please!!

[manicscousers]

didn't chit last year, NO parsnips, chitted this year, 45 planted out, I'm happy  ;D

[manicscousers]

[saddad]

Mine been in loo rolls for about three weeks, still no sign... planted five rows direst last spring probably got about a dozen all told!
:-\

[dawn34]

i put some on kitchen towel about 3 weeks ago and still nothing thinking of just sowing them in lotty and taking a chance if they grow they grow

[saddad]

I'm lying, as usual, today they are through! Yippee!
;D

[stuartallotment]

I think I might have made a mistake with my pre germinated parsnip seeds. I started them a couple of weeks ago on wet kitchen paper got good roots so decided to plant yesterday in the ground similar to most of you they have two chances. But as planting in clay soil I was speaking to a work colleague the other day and he has a similar clay plot so for his carrots he makes a large hole with dibber or pole and fills with sand and germinates seed in this. I have tried this with my parsnip seedlings but should the sand be mixed with soil or will they grow in sand ok, thinking the sand wont have the required nutrients for the parsnips to grow. oohps might need to start again, your comments will be appreciated.
Stuart

[saddad]

The sand funnel encourages the tap root to go down looking for water/nutrients and gives you a decent length of root, the feeding roots are on the outside of the parsnip like little hairs, these go out into the proper soil. Most root veg are naturalised on sandy soils as weeds that's where plant breeders started...
If you want to mix the sand 50/50 with compost go ahead but if it is too rich a mix they will fork...
;D