[JulesJ]

I've never had much luck with leeks. This year I thought I'd try seedtapes, so I put them in on 8th March, but nothing has happened; did I do them too early? The peas I did at the same time haven't done anything either, and I wonder if the soil was too cold and wet.

I do have more leek seeds now [Carentan]; should I start them in trays/pots instead, or wait and see if the seedtapes do anything?

[SG6]

I started mine at about the same time, early March, but mine are indoors and they are 3-4 inches high. A second batch started a week ago are just showing through and are about 1-2 inches high.

Have to say that I suspect the worst.

Found that they do no seem to appear at the same time so it can seem that there is a poor germination then after a week or two I find that I actually have quite a few. But after a month I would have expected some to have appeared.

Can only suggest that you make a sowing indoors and use them as a back up for what hasn't appeared.

[JulesJ]

Thanks - that confirms what I thought. If I've learned one thing in this my first year, it's that I rush and sow stuff way too early (I've been dancing with impatience since September) - on my second batch for a few things now. Admittedly the tapes were several years old so that may have been a contributing factor, but as the peas didn't come up either, I obviously jumped the gun.

[DD.]

The cold and the age of the tapes will not have helped.

Under the GYO stickies/Useful topics & sites, you'll find how I do my leeks......

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

I've only just sown my first lot of peas, so you may have been a little too early there. I think you're finding out that one of the most important factors in gardening is patience!