Hi Bluebell,
I have also experienced very slow germination of red onions. I sowed Red Spark on 11th Feb in modules on warm sand and some seed is still germinating now. If I remember there was nothing showing for 3 weeks or so. I found standard onions(Hytech) sown on the same date germinated much more quickly. Not sure if this is a characteristic of red onions, or to do with the seed. The Red Spark seed was from last year and the Hytech bought fresh this. I think your parsnip seed will germinate in time as long as the seed is fresh.
Andy
