onions and leeks from seed

[gan heather]

In January and February I planted onion and leek seeds in modules and then brought them to my plot and put them in a polytunnel after they had germinated. However, I haven't had much success with them. Some of them are growing fine, but many haven't survived. If I planted onion and leek seeds directly into the ground now, do you think I might have better luck with them?

[taff]

Did you sow them in the house and then put them in the polytunnel?
Only asking because it's still been really cold, and that might have done for them.

[gan heather]

Did you sow them in the house and then put them in the polytunnel?
Only asking because it's still been really cold, and that might have done for them.

Yes, that's what I did, but only because that's how I was advised on here. Now I'm confused.

[Two_Sheds]

If a plant has been in a nice warm house, and then suddenly gets plopped somewhere very much colder (esp. at night) then it will suffer. It needs a period of hardening off to become acclimatised.

[zazen999]

Then again, they could have got damping off; what actually happened to them?

I'm in the Midlands, with an unheated greenhouse and all my leeks and onions go straight outside once germinated. If you let them grow too big indoors they might have not liked it, but if they went straight outside once the first signs of germination they should be ok.

Damping off kills many more leek and onion seedlings than the cold...in my experience.

[gan heather]

Some of them got too big before I put them outside - I know that was a mistake. But some were just past the crook stage and they died also, so I'm not really sure. I guess I should have hardened them off more?

But the question now is, is it worth planting some onion and leek seeds straight into the ground now or just go with sets (for the onions)?

[Lazgaot]

I think you'll be ok starting both from seed now. They'll just be smaller and later on in the season when it comes round to eating them.

[zazen999]

Personally, I'd not....I'd stick to sets now - but as laz said they will just be smaller and later in the season. I never sow direct as they don't seem to come up properly.