Leeks/Onions

[vron]

Hi there, can anyone tell me if it is ok to move our leek and onion seedlings outside in a covered mini greenhouse, or is it still to early and to cold.

Also would using horticultural fleece as well as the plastic outer cover of the mini green house, be sufficient to protect the leeks and keep them warm if there was a frost at night.

We have also got the plastic propagator lids that go over the seed trays.

They were sown on the 9/2/2007 and had germinated in 5 days, so they are now 16 days old and getting bigger by the day.

At the moment they are in our dining room in very large trays (that are sitting in damp gravel trays) in front of the window.

We have been putting them outside in the covered mini greenhouse during the day and bringing them in at night.

We haven't got the room for a proper green house in our garden.

PS. I have posted this on another forum hope this is ok.

[Snadger]

I don't know about your area but in my area it is still too cold, even in an unheated greenhouse!

I have bought one of those plastic thee tier jobbies and put it inside a cold greenhouse. I have taken out the bottom shelf and put a frost guard paraffin heater in it's place.

I have just shifted my onion and shallot seedlings in to it and the temp was about 55F when I left this evening!

The little parrafin heater I use runs for 14 days on one filling and takes about 2 litres to fill it! Quite economical really!

If you have no greenhouse could you not knock up a glass cold frame with a single window frame scrounged from somewhere? Doesn't have to be anything elaborate, just an old window leaned against a south facing wall with the ends blocked in with whatever comes to hand!

Just a thought! Hope you find a solution to your quandry!

[nick the grief]

I agree with Snadger, it's a bit cold for going out yet. If we had a frost it could make them Bolt. I've only just sowed my first lot of leeks (The Lyon) and the second lot (Musselburgh) will go in in a couple of weeks after all the chrysanths have been moved out.

[rustylady]

The covered mini greenhouse will act as a coldframe. Depends on where it is sited as to how much protection it will give. I have one just outside the back door where it is fairly sheltered, and it's done well this year (mind you we haven't had any hard frosts)