[WeedfreeWill]

I'm growing onions and leeks from seed for the first time this year and am having trouble. You see they shoot up and then fade to nothing! This is the second lot now, its really annoying. Your help would be great....please

[DD.]

Whereabouts are you raising them? e.g. indoors, greenhouse, cold frame etc.

[WeedfreeWill]

Indoors, in a propergator, when they show i take the top off

[DD.]

They are probably still too warm.

Both prefer cooler temperatures and really need to get out of the warmth once germinated. Light is also an issue if growing indoors - i.e. there's not enough of it!

[Babstreefern]

I grow mine in the conservatory, with very little heat.  The only heat they really get is from the sunshine

I have never used a propagator for anything, and I have great results for all plants.

[DD.]

Don't get me started on propagators again!

[SkipRat]

I think DD,s hit it on the head, onions dont like heat. I sow my onions in an unheated spare bedroom. as soon as they are through, they are put in the coldframe, untill time to plant out.

[Ma and Pa Snip]

As greenhouse is now getting very warm during last few days, makes note to remove leeks that have now germinated  from greenhouse before going out in the morning.

[WeedfreeWill]

ive got them in the window so plenty of light, and the temp is (highs) 12 and (lows) 7.....is that still too warm???

[DD.]

It may seem plenty of light to you, but your eyes adjust to the ambient levels. If I grow anything in a window - I put aluminium foil behind the plants to increase the light.

It is still  little on the warm side. The objective is steady, strong growth,  not quick and weak.

[Sweet Pea 2]

I grow Leeks in a cold frame and my last years crop is still going. A windowsill isn;t the best place for them to be, they prefer the cold, as they need to grow slowly. Also if you use a cold frame you can you the cat litter tray method    This much improved my crop after total failure the year before.  Also don't get disheartened if they don't get to pencil thickness.  They catch up when planted out eventually.  Some of mine have a diameter of 1.5 Inches and they weren't pencil thickness when they went in, and they went in late.  All I need to do a blanch a freeze the remaining ones before they flower 

[WeedfreeWill]

Cat litter tray method? Tell me more...

We have four cats and my current cat litter tray method is them eating my shoots! 

[Yorkie]

Cat litter tray method? Tell me more...

We have four cats and my current cat litter tray method is them eating my shoots! 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=36.0

See thread about 7 from the bottom 

[WeedfreeWill]

Thats amazing...

Thanks for you help, I'll give it a try