parsnip seedling thinnings

[allanwoolley]

Some stretches of my parsnip sowings have an excess of seedlings but some have large gaps.   Could I try transplanting from one to the other?   The seedlings, about an inch high, each have seed leaves plus a couple of tiny main leaves.

[allanwoolley]

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you transplant them they'll fork like mad, if they grow at all. It's up to you; do you mind forked parsnips?

[davyw1]

Like Robert i don,t believe you can successfully transplant parsnips, as for thinning some let them grow on till they are large enough to use, others pull them i personally cut them with scissors  if i have to many to close together, the reason for not pulling them is because if the tap roots have entwined then i am likely to pull out the one i want left in with the one i am pulling out

[Stevens706]

Last year I transplanted some thinnings to plug some gaps, but I couldn't remember which was which. Some of the grown parsnips had forked but only about 6 or so but I transplanted at least 20 so it's a bit of bit and miss. Worth giving a try or just sow extra seed in the gaps you have time.

[allanwoolley]

Thanks for so much useful info.    I shall experiment by using a spoon to take up a tiny area of moist soil surrounding the tap roots of a few in the hope that they will not be aware that they have been moved.