Seeds in winter

 I gathered some hazelnuts last autumn and have been trying to stratify them over winter.  I put them in a bag with a few handfuls of damp sand and hung it from a rafter in my unheated garage (to be out of reach of mice and rats).  I had a check on them last week but they don't look very promising:  they are supposed to sprout sometime this month, but it doesn't look like any are yet.  Well, I guess I'll have to wait;  at least they were free, so no loss if none germinate.  I would like to plant some out back by the chicken yard.

I have a tray sown half and half with leek and onion seeds, hanging out on the kitchen windowsill.  I hope they at least do something!  I broadcast them directly onto the tray and will prick them out when they've sprouting and grown a bit.  Hoping to have at least fifty each, or more;  these are for the allotment, but probably not to plant out until March.

And I also put a packet of 50 broad bean seeds to sprout, treated in a similar way to the hazelnuts above.  They, however, should only take a couple weeks to sprout, rather than all winter.  I have some tiny broad bean plants at the allotment from last autumn's sowing, although there seem to be some gaps in the rows.  I have one more packet of seeds in reserve, probably for starting in a few more weeks.  Once these sprout I'll plant them next to their more advanced friends at the allotment.  Provided it's not completely frozen or flooded (had both recently).