Carrots/Leeks, early sowing or should I wait?

[cazp]

Anyone tried the following early plantings with success or am I better off sowing later?

Amsterdam forcing carrots seed packet says I can sow from mid January (presumably outside)

Carrot early Nantes 2 packet says I can sow outside under cloches from Jan/Feb for earlier cropping (plastic or fleece cloches?)

Leek Lyon 2 packet says I can sow indoors in an unheated greenhouse or coldframe (presumably this could also apply to a small plastic greenhouse?)

[solway cropper]

My first sowing of leeks is well up now and going out into the greenhouse during the day. They were started in a heated propagator in the house. I'll do another sowing in a week or two but I won't be sowing any carrots before March and even then they'll be under cover.

[VirginVegGrower]

My leeks are currently on their winter vacation in the greenhouse. Postcard back says weather cold but views lovely they are happy to stay there!

[binley100]

My leek grass leeks are in the cold gh , my early sowing leeks are just poking their noses out from under the cover , but my onions have come to a stand still ......Last year I did a late sowing of carrots in the gh and thought they were no good , chucked the pots outside (recycled tomato bags ) and in the spring they started to grow .......

[salome2001]

Leeks (Lyon 2 Prizetaker as well- free seeds from GYO??) are started in modules in the conservatory...

My Purple Haze carrots are apparently ready to sow too but with another cold snap coming I'm not sowing them yet (unless someone can tell me they go well started in loo rolls/ Rootrainers and planted out later)

[BarleySugar]

I put some early nantes carrots in about 3 weeks ago in the unheated greenhouse, together with some bolthardy beetroot. Both are up. and just covered with fleece while this cold snap is on. The idea is to hopefully have them out of the way before I need mega space for the tomatoes etc. I will be able, at a pinch, to harden them off and move the containers outside to finish off. I've never tried it before, but decided to experiment this year.

[Alison]

I have leeks in pots in the conservatory just breaking the compost now and they'll be out to the cold greenhouse in about a weeks time. Will be sowing a later type erm later in the year, probably Marchish. Carrots, too early yet. I'll be sowing some early types (possibly Amsterdam Forcing but can't remember what seeds I have) in about a months time direct into the polytunnel border. Have done it the last 2 years and it's worked well but I think the soil would be too cold yet, especially after the recent cold snap.

[colser]

i have carrots in guttering and largish pots in the greenhouse (both covered thickly with straw) no sign of life yet. leaks are on order, may wait until this cold snap passes before i plant them.

[Currysniffa]

I sowed some leeks on 2nd of Feb just before the cold snap, there were outside in fleece covered blow-a-way, had a look at them yesterday and the compost was frozen solid so moved them into the outhouse hope they'll be OK.

[Florence Fennel]

I'm hoping to find time at the weekend to sow some leeks inside. Carrot seed packets are under the hands I'm sitting on until the soil is warmer, hopefully in March outside under cloches.

[FionaH]

You lot got me panicking now, must sow some leeks!

[Currysniffa]

Just moved leeks from outhouse there now sat in a heated propagator with lid off, they not frozen anymore.

[Two_Sheds]

These are the minimum temps needed for germination. Of course some seed will germinate at low temp, but you'll have better results if it's warmer

I don't understand why the packs say to sow carrots in Jan, Feb, March: I find they don't come up before April (outside).

[Shadylane]

You lot got me panicking now, must sow some leeks!

I've usually sown mine by now but planning on doing so this week maybe. Our lottie neighbours didn't sow theirs until May last year but by autumn they were just as big as ours.

[Bren In Pots]

You lot got me panicking now, must sow some leeks!

Fi I've not sown anything yet it just doesn't feel right with all the snow around, but I have got potatoes chitting upstairs.