Cut my Losses with Leeks?

[Westi]

Hi

Due to diaster with my own leeks I bought some in.
They were diappointing - not as thick as a knitting
needle let alone a pencil. I put them in as they also
arrived very late, but they are still miniscule and have
hardly grown. (Thanks to help from birds & mole).

Will they do anything now or will they just bolt when
the weather warms? Do I cut my losses and just get
the bed dug, covered and ready for the next crop?

Westi

[oldherbaceous]

Welcome to the forum Westi.

Regarding your leeks, a little will depend on whether they are an early or late variety, if they are an early variety they are very likely to run to seed as the weather warms, but if they are a late variety they shouldn't run to see as quick.
But after saying all that, usually if they have put little growth on at this time of the year they are very unlikely to grow into a decent sized leek.
I suppose a lot depends on how early you need that plot of ground, to whether you dig them up or not.

[snooky]

Hello Westi,
Due to circumstances I was late planting my leeks this year.Fifty plants each of an early,mid and late varieties.As OH stated the late variety may bulk up,in the meanwhile I"m pulling the early and mid varieties as "baby" leeks.They are as thick as my thumb,a size which my wife prefers to use in her cooking.

[AnneThomas]

Hi Westi - I was going to suggest similar to Snooky. If you don't think they are going to do anything, lift them and use them. Don't just dump them. Leek and potato soup freezes well!!

Due to a very wet late season, I planted my 'late' leeks, even more late. They haven't put on much growth but they look healthy and were fairly well established when I planted them, so I will give them a bit longer. Warmer weather usually comes a bit earlier to Cornwall so they may get ahead a bit yet.

[Westi]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for the replies. I will give them
a little longer as I am not sure whether
they are early or lates. They are too
small to even consider taking them as
mini ones - they have literally done nothing.

Well at least I know where not to buy plants
I supppose - lesson learnt.

Westi

[Smurfy]

I planted my leeks at a 'normal' time but in a part of the garden which is quite dark and gets very little sunlight. They're tiny little things, some are not even as thick as my little finger but i use them instead of spring onions in some recipies and they work just as well in casseroles as normal leeks.

[Johnboy]

It seems to me that people are not getting the value out of Leeks that they should.
If you are going to module sow them they need a module no bigger than 1.5x1.5x3 cms deep and grow them on until they are the thickness of a normal pencil they will become slightly pot bound which they do not seem to mind. Plant out by dibbing a hole slightly deeper than 6" making sure that the module actually reaches the bottom of the hole. The individual hole should be watered to consolidate the plant in the hole.
Leeks should be planted 6" down the row and a minimum of 9" between rows. If you want mini leeks then the same procedure only plant them 3-4" down the row. If any foliage gets damaged in the process simply trim back to sound leaf. With module sowing tailing the roots doesn't apply
If you follow these directions you will be assured of at least a crop.
I feel that people are growing them in too large modules and are not waiting until they are the right size for transplanting. If you plant out when they are too small they flounder and do not produce a descent crop.
I grow in a module tray of 576 leeks and what I do not need I sell.
I have been growing leeks for a very long time, long before module trays and plastic pots were invented, when seedlings were grown in nursery rows, and I have never ever had a bad year.
Ground preparation is essential and I use well rotted FYM dug well in and do not feed through the season. If you have prepared the land properly they simply do not need it. They appreciate sunshine (don't we all) but they will grow equally well in a partially shaded area.
I actually grow in an unorthodox way and use a shallow trench then the 6" dib and as they grow I earth up until the soil becomes level during the season. This generally gives me a 10-12" blanched shank. If I have not used all the leeks up before I want the bed for the next crop I dig them all up and put them in a "plunge" bed of MP compost well watered in and they seem to last very well until they are all used up. I remove about 50% of the roots to facilitate pulling them up without disturbing the others, after all I only want to keep them alive not expecting anymore growth.
JB.

[Smurfy]

Wow

There's no wonder i've not been doing very well with my leeks. Thanks for that JB that's really really helpful. I'm quite excited about sowing this years now and maybe i'll have enough success to have some with Christmas dinner!

[Westi]

Hi JB

Thanks for the info - very informative. Previous years
mine have been quite pot bound and have done brill so
that may be the secret. Unfortunately neighbours cats
and a fox were the undoing of my seedlings last year.
Although someone at lottie recommended the site I
bought from I have not been very happy with anything I
received with only a few cabbages looking like they might
make a (small) meal eventually.

Greenhouse is now very secure so back to growing my
own and if diaster befalls again will get plants from a more
reliable source.

Westi

[Johnboy]

Hi Westi,
The only year things went a little awry for me was when I had a Mole that was hell bent on stopping me. It kept pushing the Leeks clean out of the hole. Caught the bugger and replanted them all and still had a good crop. Perhaps a wire cage would prevent your damage occurring until the plants are really well established. Foxes are nothing new to me, I had one on the lawn Monday morning which pounced on the Pheasants that were happily grazing there. He missed them all!
JB.

[Primrose]

I always use a dibber and plant my leek seedlings in holes as deep as I can make them and have never had a failed crop. I gave some surplus leek seedlings to a friend who just planted their roots into the soil without burying them at all and hers have barely grown at all, so obviously the secret is to bury them as deep as possible. Quite apart from anything else if they're not anchored deeply in the soil I imagine the roots and stems will be constantly battered by the wind and never have a chance to properly establish themselves. But next year I'll take Johnboy's advice and dig a shallow trench first and then "dib" the holes in the bottom of the trench in the hope of getting a longer stem. I normally grow Musselburgh and don't know if they meant to be a very long stemmed variety.