[Grubbypaws]

Last year the problem was that they all germinated and I struggled to find homes for them. This year none of my purple sprouting broccoli seeds have germinated  Should I put them in a heated propagator?

[mumofstig]

No, they don't need heat. How long since you sowed them? Have they dried out at all?

[Grubbypaws]

No, they don't need heat. How long since you sowed them? Have they dried out at all?

8 days and they have never dried out 

I did a search and one site said that they need to be above 70F and ideally between 75 and 80F (American site). With so little sun on offer at the moment I wondered if this was the problem. They are in 3" pots so can easily go in the propagator. Is there any harm in doing this mumofstig?

[mumofstig]

They can take 14 days, or more, to germinate.
If you do decide to put them in the  propagator take them out as soon as they germinate as they'll get leggy quickly on heat.

[Aidy]

The best way by far and I do this with all my hard seeds is to pre-germinate (chit) them.
Method
1 tub, place a piece of kitchen paper on the bottom, put another piece scrunched up under the tap, pat the tub to dampen, place seeds in, place another piece of kitchen paper on top and dab with the wet kitchen piece, place lid on top, and keep at room temp, they should germinate within 4-6 days, once the shoots have appeared pop into the pot (about 1.5 cm deep) ready for transplanting in the ground when big enough

[Aidy]

These swede seeds were put in the tubs on Monday night this week.
As you can see they have now germinated, they are now going into the pots for growing on before transplanting to final bed.
I know that as the seed has germinated it will grow on.

[Grubbypaws]

They still haven't germinated; maybe they checked the weather forecast out first! 

I have caved in and ordered some Broccoli Red Fire plug plants so what is the chance that they will all now germinate and leave me with the same excess as I had last year