[loopylottie]

So I planted some onion (kelsea) and leeks ( lyon/prizewinners2) seed just after Christmas in cells and multi purpose compost, they were growing lovely for a while until they all just flopped over?? 

They are all on the kitchen sideboard under a strip light and I noticed some tiny little black flies on the soil. I'm not sure if thats anything to do with the floppiness of my seedlings??

Help please.....

LottieX

[compostqueen]

My guess is that they're far too hot! 

[DD.]

Or far too leggy.

When you say "striplight" is it a proper growlight or "ordinary" one? If it's the latter then they're not getting the right sort of light and have streaked away in an attempt to look for some.

[Yorkie]

What's the watering like?  Little black flies can mean you've overwatered too.

[Totty]

I also planted the same two varietys just after Christmas! Mine were put in a south facing windowsill with no additional heat or light, although we do have a newborn so the house has been at 20 degrees all the time. The onions are just pushing out the second set of leaves now and they have been put out into a frost free greenhouse. My guess is that they may not have had enough sun light and have got too tall before their time, meaning they are not strong enough to stand up for themselves. Could try supporting them and putting somewhere sunny??

[loopylottie]

Thanks for your ideas everyone. I think its a combo of a lot of things.
I've messed up havent I and now Im going to have to start again.

oh wel.l we live and learn.

LottieX

[Kristen]

I've messed up havent I and now Im going to have to start again.

Don't be despondent! In particular there is PLENTY of time yet. It much more annoying to have failures when there isn't really time to start-over.

I planted one tray of Onions in mid January, but last year all mine were sown in February, and this year all the rest will be.

Personally I think January is too early for leeks - they are ready for eating in Autumn (we like ours as a Winter veg), and are more inclined to bolt (run to seed in the first year) - would have been more annoying if they had grown well and then all went to seed before you got a chance to eat them!

[bigben]

Two years ago I started mine in Jan indoors and they seemed to get off to a good start. By June/ July I had jealous comments about how good they were looking but by the time it came to harvest almost everyone bolted. I put this down to starting too early indoors in the heat. Last year they were started later, did not get as big but none have bolted.