Johnboy, you never miss a trick to criticize me on this forum. The original question was anwered ages ago, all that is past, however if somebody criticises me for what I do I have every right to reply. It is none of my business whether people choose to go for Tucker's seeds or not,nor is it your prerogative if I decide not to add Tucler's seeds to my shopping list, just because I choose not to is my business as I made perfectly clear and I gave my reasons. That does not in any way have anything to do with the merits of Tucker's or any other seed supplier.I don't wish to prolong this pointless argument.
It's a pity however if we cannot move on and deal in a sensible matter with matters arising from the general topic of how to grow leeks of any kind without it becoming a points-scoring exercise.
baby leeks
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
In my first year of growing veg I planted leek seeds in modules (probably musselburg..but not sure now!) about 5 to 8 seeds each module, 15 modules per standard seed tray. These I planted out in Mid May (I was late with my planting that year as I was converting lawn into veg plot and everything was taking me longer than anticipated). I planted them out 5 modules to a two foot row and each row about about a foot apart. I also planted module grown Beetroot (two seed clusters per module) in between the rows of leeks as there seemed to a huge amount of spare soil when first planted out.
I was pulling baby beetroots all summer and baby leeks in the Autumn, although some did grow to NORMAL leek size.
So I don't think you need to buy any specific seed but how you grow them.
I was pulling baby beetroots all summer and baby leeks in the Autumn, although some did grow to NORMAL leek size.
So I don't think you need to buy any specific seed but how you grow them.
I don't suffer from insanity .... I enjoy it!
Vivianne
Vivianne
Vivianne
I have been topping up the information from websites and the concensus agrees with you. Seeing that Musselburgh in bulk is available cheaper than any other variety that seems sensible for the main crop, however there might be a special niche for really early leeks to come during the 'hungry gap'. The fastest growers appear to be Varna and King Richard, 50 and 75 days to full maturity, obviously sooner than this if pulled small. I have sown King Richard at 6 per pot, 15 pots per tray which is similar to yours. It remains to be seen whether the price justifies the cost of seed, heat etc. A minimum of 50F/10C or ideally 70F/21C is recommended.
I am also minded to try Summer Isle as a similar crop, a non-bulbing onion unusually mild and sweet which grows to any size that you require whether pencil or larger. I grow these already.
I have been topping up the information from websites and the concensus agrees with you. Seeing that Musselburgh in bulk is available cheaper than any other variety that seems sensible for the main crop, however there might be a special niche for really early leeks to come during the 'hungry gap'. The fastest growers appear to be Varna and King Richard, 50 and 75 days to full maturity, obviously sooner than this if pulled small. I have sown King Richard at 6 per pot, 15 pots per tray which is similar to yours. It remains to be seen whether the price justifies the cost of seed, heat etc. A minimum of 50F/10C or ideally 70F/21C is recommended.
I am also minded to try Summer Isle as a similar crop, a non-bulbing onion unusually mild and sweet which grows to any size that you require whether pencil or larger. I grow these already.
Allan,
I have just planted 40 pots of Lyon 2 prizetaker and 40 of Autumn Giant 2, both these were put in the propergator yesturday. Both packets were 'free' so not my choice, AND I am taking a risk with them.
Once germianted they will have to rough it in the polytunnel until planted out probably April.
I have got a lot more seed for my main planting, but I prefer to raise in modules as the young seedling tend to get lost in the weeds if I sow in a seed bed!
I have just planted 40 pots of Lyon 2 prizetaker and 40 of Autumn Giant 2, both these were put in the propergator yesturday. Both packets were 'free' so not my choice, AND I am taking a risk with them.
Once germianted they will have to rough it in the polytunnel until planted out probably April.
I have got a lot more seed for my main planting, but I prefer to raise in modules as the young seedling tend to get lost in the weeds if I sow in a seed bed!
I don't suffer from insanity .... I enjoy it!
Vivianne
Vivianne
Hi Vivianne,
As by their name Lyon 2 Prizetaker is what they are and I have produced some wonderful Leeks over the years. The Autumn Giant 2 I have not grown but I feel sure they will be fine.I have grown several Autumn Mammoth varieties and I am sure that Autumn Giant 2 comes under the same type of plant.
As you grow them you can test what they are like as Baby Leeks.
As by their name Lyon 2 Prizetaker is what they are and I have produced some wonderful Leeks over the years. The Autumn Giant 2 I have not grown but I feel sure they will be fine.I have grown several Autumn Mammoth varieties and I am sure that Autumn Giant 2 comes under the same type of plant.
As you grow them you can test what they are like as Baby Leeks.
JB.
Vovianne, I can't see anything to worry about in that. The onion and leek family may have an optimum germination temperature commonly quoted as around 20 C. but otherwise they are cool weather lovers so at this time of year a polytunnel would be fine. I am fortunate in that I have a special fully vented structure for such work and the japanese type onions are in there now and will be planted soon, to be followed by the summer crops. I am a great advocate of sowing in modules or small pots including peas and beetroot, there aren't all that number of vegetables that are better off sown direct.
I found a US website all about what they call scallions which is our spring and bunching onions, they talk about 1 inch spacing in the rows which might be pushing it a bit close. You certainly want more than that for crops to maturity.
I found a US website all about what they call scallions which is our spring and bunching onions, they talk about 1 inch spacing in the rows which might be pushing it a bit close. You certainly want more than that for crops to maturity.
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vivianne
Hi allan,
I sometimes visit http://www.marketgardeningchat.com the main guy who runs it is based in Canada. He uses onion sets to grow his Scallions based at inch settings and in six weeks you should get respectable spring onions. I did this last year and it works. I planted from April onwards and literally had the onion sets touching. When needed the spring onions where pulled, the old set needed pulling off and the roots and tops trimming...what could be easier? A good watering was needed for sets planted in high summer, but in November I still had spring onions to pull! (I let sheep into the field then and they finished the onions off!) I have just purchased a 25Kg bag of sets @ £0.86 per Kg, if we assume 170 sets per Kg then it would cost 5p for a bunch of 10 spring onions I did not put any fertilisers etc on these so I reckon that is good value for money!
I left some of my early plantings of set to grow to maturity but these were on a plot which had had an application of Calcified seedweed and 10-10-21 fertiliser.
Sorry folks...this is nothing to do with leeks but I was just expanding from Allan's last posting. Anyway Onions, Leek, shallots are extremely good for you especially if eaten raw e.g spring onions. As planting from set is soooo easy any idiot can grow them. I have ordered Welsh onion seed this year...mainly because I live in Wales and secondly they seemed interesting being a perennial and looking like spring onions (they may have been used in the breeding of spring onions). Edwin Tuckers have the seed in commercial quantities.
I sometimes visit http://www.marketgardeningchat.com the main guy who runs it is based in Canada. He uses onion sets to grow his Scallions based at inch settings and in six weeks you should get respectable spring onions. I did this last year and it works. I planted from April onwards and literally had the onion sets touching. When needed the spring onions where pulled, the old set needed pulling off and the roots and tops trimming...what could be easier? A good watering was needed for sets planted in high summer, but in November I still had spring onions to pull! (I let sheep into the field then and they finished the onions off!) I have just purchased a 25Kg bag of sets @ £0.86 per Kg, if we assume 170 sets per Kg then it would cost 5p for a bunch of 10 spring onions I did not put any fertilisers etc on these so I reckon that is good value for money!
I left some of my early plantings of set to grow to maturity but these were on a plot which had had an application of Calcified seedweed and 10-10-21 fertiliser.
Sorry folks...this is nothing to do with leeks but I was just expanding from Allan's last posting. Anyway Onions, Leek, shallots are extremely good for you especially if eaten raw e.g spring onions. As planting from set is soooo easy any idiot can grow them. I have ordered Welsh onion seed this year...mainly because I live in Wales and secondly they seemed interesting being a perennial and looking like spring onions (they may have been used in the breeding of spring onions). Edwin Tuckers have the seed in commercial quantities.
If Johnboy will forgive me for talking about onions on a thread that started off on leeks,(they are all alliums) I have some allium cepa perutile (available from Arne Herbs et al) which is a perennial 'spring onion' inasmuch as you can take the green tops off at any time for salads as per chives but bigger and more'bite'. I used to have Welsh onion grown from seed, that came big and tough but maybe I wasn't managing it the proper way. (the name Welsh there just means Foreign)I believe there is a red strain too. I am also investigating all the 'bunching onions' which are basically perennials in origin but are usually pulled immature and resown but Ishikura has already shown its merits as a perennial.There is an interesting cepa x perutile cross originated from Tozers of Cobham) I won't say any more here as it's a subject in its own right and deserves an article in the magazine but perhaps they will beat me to it!.
Allan
Allan