PARSNIPS

[saddad]

a plank??? presumably not touching the soil but raised up over it...didn't it stop the soil from warming up a bit?

I do something similar but use glass so I can see when they come through... but I lift it and water whenever the surface has dried out.. our soil caps easily if dry and I'd worry about slugs lurking under the plank and snacking on the seedlings as they emerged..  :-\

[saddad]

[Crystalmoon]

I like the idea of using glass saddad, I have the same suspicions about using wood, slug hotel ;D :o
I will try this next year

[JimB]

I'll be planting my last batch this weekend.
I use a dibber about 15in long to make a hole, then fill this with a mix of multi composter and sharp sand thats been put thru a 6mm sieve. 3 seeds to each station and romove any extra's when growing well. 

[peanuts]

That's a really interesting idea! I've had success with toilet roll tubes, now planted out and growing well, but it is hard to keep our soil damp if I sow them direct.  A plank might gdo the trick - but I would think our slugs might find it a useful home as well!

I sowed in April and immediately put a plank of wood over the row, keeping it moist, 2 weeks later I lifted the plank and hey presto a row of Parsnips that are so full I actually need to thin them.

Normally from a row I get maybe 10 germinating, this time there must be 100.