leeks

[vegpatchmum]

Planting out of my leeks will take place this week as will sweetcorn, spare tomato plants and another round of beans .

Leek rust has been a problem with my leeks for the last few years but, as mentioned, although unslightly we've still managed a good crop, probably due in no small part to my almost compulsive weekly examination of each and every leek and the removal of any 'rusty' parts of leaves and the application of vaseline to act as a barrier which I think did work quite well .

VPM
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[glallotments]

We don't trim our leeks either - I'm never sure why this is advocated as a good thing to do.

We make a deep hole with a dibber - pop in the leek and then fill the hole with water which pulls the leek down into the hole as it soaks in.

[vegpatchmum]

Meant to say that this year, due to time and space constraints, I've direct sown half my leeks into one of the raised beds.

I kind of figured that commercially grown leeks surely can't be sown in prepared seed beds and then transplanted into permanent positions. They must surely be sown directly into their final growing positions and so I decided that that may well work with mine .

Anyway, I now have a respectable amount of seedlings in the bed. As they are quite close together in some places, I do plan to carefully seperate and replant as I would do with my pot sown leek seedlings, so it is a similar process, just on a grander scale

It'll be interesting to see what, if any difference there is between the finished products as the pot sown leeks will be going into a different bed so I'll be able to see at a glance how each bed fairs

VPM
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[thetangoman]

Trimming the root and tops , planting deep encourages vigourus growth, saves messing around with pipes and carboard tubes as the leeks naturally become white due to the depth of planting ...been doing it all my llife and always have excellent leeks all year round.

[ashb]

Hi all, will it make any difference as i have got mine in planter bags
with compost in,have done as most have advised made deep hole
and put water in just hope they will grow in bags.
ash.

[glallotments]

Trimming the root and tops , planting deep encourages vigourus growth, saves messing around with pipes and carboard tubes as the leeks naturally become white due to the depth of planting ...been doing it all my llife and always have excellent leeks all year round.

We plant ours deeply and don't do anything else with them e.g. trimming and our leeks are strong and white so maybe the trimming doesn't make any difference it's the depth of planting. Just a thought.

[Jude]

My 'seed bed' leeks look a lot healthier than my module sown ones this year. I just plonk them in to dibbed holes, no trimming, always up to now had good results. Not predicting anything for this year, it's just not normal!

[Johnboy]

Unless you damage the foliage of module grown leeks there is no need for topping and the whole reason of growing seedlings in modules is to create a good root structure which needs no attention.
I create a 4" to 6" deep V trench and then dib, again 4" to 6" deep, and plant out. As the plants grow through the season I move the soil into the trench and if they are very vigourous I end up earthing them up.
I generally have leeks that have a white shank of about 12" long depending on variety and although Mussleburgh, an all time favourite, is a broad but short variety I generally end up whith a 10" whie shank.
I always use the leek leaves in soups and sauces but I know that many people throw the leaves into the compost. They do not know what they are missing!
JB.

[ken]

Yes, leek moth seems to be a regional thing. I've not experienced it here in Kent, but my daughter in Somerset is plagued with the things.

[snooky]

My leeks have germinated and aftre six weeks still look like blades of grass,not thickening at all.They were sown into a deep pot this year on advice from other lads on the site because I was having the same problem when growing in modules.The variety is"Musselburgh" and grown on in a "Blowaway".
I used Johnboys method of growing leeks last year and it was the best ever year for leeks I've had,long white stems and good green leaves.If my leeks put a spurt on in the next week or so,but looks as if I might have to scrounge some, I shall be using the same method again.Marvellous what can be learned on this Forum.

[vegpatchmum]

The variety is"Musselburgh" and grown on in a "Blowaway".

Is a 'blowaway' one of those little plastic greenhouses? Apologies if not but not sure what one is

Thing is, even in these relatively chilly days, as far as I understand it, leeks don't like being warm, once germinated, and prefer the chill. So if the 'blowaway' is indeed a little greenhouse type thing, you may well find your leeklings will do better if their pots are moved outside but under netting if necessary.

VPM
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[Johnboy]

Hi VPM,
I do agree with your comments but not quite fully.
All my leeks are raised in, what is in effect an open tunnel. The open tunnel is polythene clad but the ends are made from anti white fly netting whcih means they are certainly a whole lot colder that a fully enclosed tunnel. My leeks are module sown without any heat and are watered very sparingly. When they have germinated and unfolded they are fed with a very diluted feed of comfrey concentrate and this is repeated every week until the stems are like a thin pencil. In the modules they are really quite root-bound and they do not seem to mind that at all.
When it comes to planting out the dibber that I use is the exact profile of the module that the leeks have been growing in and because the leek are by then very easy to handle they push into the hole quite snugly and they are simply watered in at that stage and left for the soil to close around them.
Because the roots are root-bound they transplant very easily without any disturbance which I feel is why within a couple of days they are growing away happily. From this root-bound stage they make an enormous root structure and this is why I say that they do not mind being root-bound at planting out stage.
If during the process of planting out you damage any of the leaves you can very easiy sever the damaged part with a good clean cut with a sharp knife and there is no need to sever all the leaves.
Now this might sound like a lot of faffing about but in practice it is all very simple.
JB.

[vegpatchmum]

Hi Johnboy,

I think you have misunderstood my post. As with yours, my own leeklings are put outside under netting (an open ended albeit netted tunnel in your case) once they have germinated .

My comments referred to the 'Blowaway' and my uncertainty about what this was. If, as I think, it is a portable greenhouse with all sides enclosed to provide warnth and protection, then this may well mean the leeklings are unhappy and need to be moved into a position where the warmth aspect is removed - if that makes sense - but the protection (netting) is still in place.

VPM
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[Johnboy]

Hi VPM,
I have just reread your thread and agree with you that I made a right mess of the reply. Put it down to an awkward age with senlity fast looming!
JB.

[thetangoman]

Well depsite the comments I intend to continue trimming both roots and tops of my leeks..the result prove they benefit from this , also planting deep with a dibber , up to a foot if posible ..provides some wonderfull leeks..

Just proves we have our methods that work for us over many many years of trying and testing others !!