leeks

[ashb]

Morning all, ive been given some leek plants they are
about6-8" tall what is the best way to procede growing
these they are still in pots by the way and are not very thick
about pencil thickness.
thanks ash.

[Kleftiwallah]

This is what I would do. . . . wash the soil off the roots and cut them back by 1/2. Cut the blades back by 1/3. Drive a thick dibber into the ground and wiggle (the dibber that is) extract the dibber and insert the leek. Water down the hole.

I have no doupt others will disagree. Cheers, Tony.

[alan refail]

Hi Ash

Sound just ready for planting. Dib holes about 6 inches deep, drop the leek in, water if necessary (!) and do not fill in with soil. The greater the distance between plants, the bigger the leeks will grow. 6 inches apart should give you medium sized leeks. I would not suggest cutting the roots or the tops back. See Johnboy's post from last year viewtopic.php?p=90013#p90013

[Beryl]

I agree with Alan, except I plant mine deep with a trowel from 3" pots put the whole lot in and water well. No need to firm in. Cover with fleece or enviromesh straight away to keep them free from the dreaded leek moth which can destroy the crop.

Beryl.

[vegpatchmum]

I'm with Alan and Beryl on this one and I also slip a loo roll/kitchen towel tubes over each seedling to act as 'blanchers' rather than earthing up with soil. Works a treat and I dig some of the spent, rotting tubes back into my beds when the leeks are finished and put the rest into the composter.

I have suggested to my OH that instead of having to save bagfuls of cardboard tubes each winter, he could buy then cut to size some plastic tubing which I could then wash and reuse each year but so far he has forgotten, although he has agreed it would be a good idea.

VPM
x

[ashb]

Thanks everyone for your tips i will put it all
to good use, like the idea of the tubes just one
more thing when will they be ready to harvest
ash

[Beryl]

A piece of guttering down pipe works quite well cuts easily to size with a small hack saw.

Beryl.

[vegpatchmum]

when will they be ready to harvest
ash

Depending on variety October through January and I have taken 'baby leeks' before then to reduce crowding and encourage the other leeks to grow bigger

VPM
x

[vegpatchmum]

A piece of guttering down pipe works quite well cuts easily to size with a small hack saw.

Beryl.

Thanks for that Beryl

VPM
x

[ashb]

cheers beryl got some downpipe knocking about
ash

[thetangoman]

Just to add..I always trim the tops and roots, works well and always produces good leeks
The tube and plastic pipe ..not sure about and would probaly not bother with if you want normal leeks for table consumption.The deeper the hole when planting the better the leek and by trimmining and planting deep nature will take over and produce lovely leeks , just be patient as you may not see anything for a week but then new growth appears .
Also never had any problem with the leek moth !!!

[Geoff]

I create a shallow trench, dib them into the bottom (usually with little or no trimming) then water them in. Later in the season I weed round them and fill up the trench as an earthing up.

[PLUMPUDDING]

The answers just show how easy leeks are to grow. You can do almost anything to them and you'll still get a crop - even chopping at their roots and leaves! Some old advice does seem very strange, do we do this to anything else and expect it to perform well?

I've planted mine this morning and sow them fairly thinly in a deep pot and plant them out when they are about pencil thickness like yours.

I make a hole with a trowel the depth of the blade, drop a leek in and withdraw the trowel - quick and easy. Plant them about 9 inches apart and water them in.

Your only other problem apart from leek moth (and I've never had this in my garden) may be leek rust which looks unpleasant, but doesn't usually affect the stem that you eat.

[peter]

I now use one of those patent bulb planters, a split tube hinged at the top with a handle on each half, one slid inside the other.
Push it in the ground, twist, pull out, press the handle ends inwards opening the bottom and discard the plug of soil.

After preparing rows of holes I go back and drop a leek seedling into each hole, then get the watering can, minus rose, and water them in.

[Beryl]

The leek moth mostly affects us here in the south but I have heard it is now moving up country. You have this pleasure to come!!!!! Be aware it can cause devastation of your crop.

Beryl.