I am willing to cover if temps go below 25 degrees and they have sprouted.

USDA zones don't tell you much useful about local climactic conditions. For frost-intolerant plants, you just need to look up your local average date of last frost, and maybe add a week or two to be safe. Google "last frost date". Can get those dates by ZIP code.

While leEks can germinate at quite low temperatures they will do so slowly and erratically so there is little to be gained from starting too early. You'd do best to wait until soil temperatures are at least 50f. Or start them indoors and transplant later.

Oh, leeks, and not leaks. I was wondering what a plant leak was. Sort of like a leaky pot, maybe?

zone 6 is not useful.

when is your frost date.

You can plant seed soon but they will be slow to sprout if it stays cold. Seems too wet now to work the soil anyway, lots of rain this weekend. I think most usually use transplants to get thicker Leeks at harvest, and the small seedlings are hard to weed around. What have you done in the past?

It is said that leeks are pretty frost tolerant, down to 20F or so (like onions), but seedlings are often less cold tolerant than mature plants. As such, your seedlings will probably be OK at 25F. But they don't like heat, so waiting to plant may not be smart.

As far as I can tell the OP is asking about sowing, not planting. Planting would be fine as the plants are pretty cold tolerant but, as two of us have pointed out, sowing at low temperatures won't gain you anything. Even leeks need some warmth to germinate.

Ok, I had to look up sowing verses planting:) I have started seeds indoors but I do not have the room for as many as I would like. I have also started parsley, 20 peppers & 10 tomatoes. I was asking about putting seeds outside. Last frost date is May 13 here. I do agree about cold/slow. I have started things early and the sprouted but in the end were almost exactly the same as others that were sowed 2 weeks later.

Long range forcasts are great, and they will take around 10 days to come up so I will proably start here May 1, i will plant more every 2 weeks. I have plenty of seeds so if some do not come up that is ok, and I have little else to do in the garden this time of year:)

Thanks! I agree with you guys!

Yes, I have noticed that planting seems to cover both activities in American English. But I think the distinction is very useful, as this thread shows. Unless it is further specified that you are planting seeds it can get confusing.

Giving your leek seeds a good soak before planting will certainly stimulate germination. As to germination slowness, you could either wait to plant, or be patient after you do. Your choice.

Leeks are very slow growers. When I grew them, I started them inside in mid Feb. and set them out after freeze is likely. If they get too cold, they bolt--think they've been through a Mediterranean winter. Also, you can sow parsley outside in mid Feb. They can take a LOT of cold even when very small.

I tried the seed route (started indoors) and that was more bother than it was worth. I now just buy a small 4-pack of starts in the spring. It's a little tedious to separate them out individually for planting but there's usually a lot in the starter packs and they're only a couple bucks.

You can buy Leek starts now at Dixondale if you want a bunch of Leeks, cost more than seeds but depends on your priorities. Cost is cheaper the more onion bunches you buy.

Dixondale Lancelot Leeks

I love Dixondale, but I'm relieved that I can get at least their onions after being shipped in bulk to my nursery, where I get a "bunch" of 60-80 starts, in a wide range of appropriate varieties, for a few bucks each. Now, Dixondale lately has "free shipping", but the price on such a minimal bunch is thereby about $15. Before you order from them, you might want to get in touch and see if anyone in your vicinity gets Dixondale stuff in bulk.

“you could either wait to plant, or be patient after you do. Your choice.”

I don’t think it is as simple as that. Seed sown in cold wet ground is prone to rotting and depredation by pests before it gets a chance to germinate. Or it might germinate in a mild patch then be retarded or killed by a cold snap. I would wait for more condistently warm conditions.