[AmandaLouise]

I sowed leeks in coldframe over 2 weeks ago, and none have hatched yet.  Am I doing anything wrong?  broccoli and sprouts are in same spot and they are doing okay.

Peppers - I sowed these more of an experiment really, Feb time, they dont seem to be growing.  They have 4 leaves, but been like this for weeks.  They were seeds from pound shop in one of those tray things so maybe they arent that good.  Instructions said sow Jan onwards.

Thanks
amanda

[BabbyAnn]

I sowed 4 different leek varieties in trays and left them on a sunny windowsill - some seed was getting old so I was just checking viability ... all varieties started to germinate exactly 11 days from sowing.  If yours are not showing, maybe night time temperatures in the cold frame have slowed germination and will just take a little longer.  If they are in trays, you could bring them indoors at night to keep the soil temperature from dropping.

Broccoli and sprouts germinate very quickly usually within a week in ideal conditions so you can't really compare with leeks.

Peppers - sometimes seedlings do appear to stall about this time of year when you expect linear growth after germination.  It's only temporary - they might just need a little extra warmth and some serious sunlight or maybe the compost is getting a little exhausted.  When it has happened to me, I've sometimes given them a dilute liquid feed and the boost along with improved spring conditions have got them going again. 

[AmandaLouise]

What great advice thankyou so much.  I could spend ages on the internet looking for answers, get no where and then query solved in a flash on here.  I will get them inside now, and nearly give up on the peppers.  Sowing some backups tomorrow anyway but thanks again.

Amanda :happy:

[JayG]

It's a strange fact that for some seeds the ideal germination temperature is different from the temperature the plant should be grown at, which is why many people either finish up with leggy plants which have been grown in too much heat (and/or too little light) or seedlings which barely grow at all (too cold.)

My leeks failed to show after 2 weeks in the cold greenhouse so I brought them in to the warm kitchen and they all popped up within a couple of days - they are now back in the greenhouse as the kitchen is too warm for them at this stage.

If I have understood your post correctly and your peppers are also in the cold frame, it will almost certainly be too cold for them there at this time of year.

If you've not seen it before there's a good link here about germination temperatures - doesn't include leeks unfortunately but they are similar to onion seeds (as you can see they will germinate almost down to freezing point but it takes forever!)

[lmpd]

So what is the ideal to germinate leeks, I''ve got mine in the greenhouse and nothing - I had put it down to being old seed???

[JayG]

So what is the ideal to germinate leeks, I''ve got mine in the greenhouse and nothing - I had put it down to being old seed???

Did you have a look at the chart in the link in my previous post?

If we work on the assumption that leeks and onions behave similarly then they should germinate in 5 days at 20C (68F), which is warm but probably still lower than many people's living rooms these days.

My leek seeds are 3 years old now and have germinated fine, but that doesn't mean that yours will too............

[lmpd]

Thanks for that. I did have them just in the greenhouse, but I also have a blow-away greenhouse in the greenhouse - acting as a propagator. I moved them in there, thinking warming them up might do it and then brought them back out yesterday with the intention of re-sowing.