Leeks - where can they go now?

[Jude]

I've grown a good couple of nursery rows of leeks that are ready for planting out. Problem is, the only space I have is where my garlic is at the moment (intend to harvest it next week if it dries up a bit).
Superbly bad planning on my part,I admit,but am I asking for trouble doing this? The only other possible option is where I still have a few lettuces, but I had leeks there 2 years ago. Help!

[Allan]

It's an old problem, no universal solution. The most common way I know of is intercropping for instance in the potato rows but it isn't a perfect solution. I don't raise my leeks in a row outdoors, they are all in 40 mm square pots, 4 to a pot and will stay there until midsummer when there is time and space available to do something more to them. The idea of growing in groups or clusters works very well for me, it is totally different for those grown for the showbench. It might help the situation if you take a hard look at your seedlings and take out all the smaller ones that you wouldn't normally use now to give the more useful plants more room, maybe find space to heel in the smaller ones in a row of their own, it's surprising how much faster the smaller ones will grow with more space and maybe a liquid feed.
Allan

[Jude]

Thanks Allan, but I can't leave them where they are as a giant pumpkin is fast approaching! Haven't done spuds this year either, so that's not an option I'm afraid. Actually, I'm very afraid....looks like I'm going to have to risk a huge crop rotational disaster!!

[sprout]

In that case, provided the garlic were healthy (no white rot?) then I'd plant the seedlings in the ex-garlic bed. Better that than the compost heap

There is an approach to crop rotation that says, if something grows well, keep growing it there until you spot problems, then move the crop. Never tried it, but you can pretend you are?

[Carole B.]

One of my plot neighbours has a permenant onion bed and doesn't suffer any problems so give it a try and don't feel too guilty!

[Wellie]

Jude,

Wouldn't it be better to put leeks in the lettuce bed??
Given that it was TWO YEARS AGO that leeks were grown there, wouldn't that be better than planting an onion related crop directly after and onion related crop in the Garlic bed?

Surely lettuces are more 'dispensible' than leeks in the kitchen garden theme of things....

Personally, I'd be tempted to do it that way round.
You could start more lettuces off (like Cos Little Gem, which are ever so quick growing) elsewhere and in tubs. Leeks are completely indispensible, and I think, should be given priority space.
Wellie

[Jude]

Thanks Wellie, I think that's what I'll do as there are only a few lettuces left and I have plenty more growing elsewhere. I pulled one row of garlic today and there was the suspicion of rot on a couple of them - it's also a very wet bed in the winter.

[Johnboy]

Hi Jude,
I feel that Wellie has struck gold this time and I do not see that you cannot grow your Leeks in The Lettuce bed and grow your lettuces at the same time. I transplant Leeks 6 inches apart and 9 inches twixt rows well, a well aimed lettuce can grow in the 9 inches between rows.
As Wellie says Little Gem or Warpath, Little Leprechaun, Kendo and quite a host of quick growing smaller lettuces. I feel that this would not ultimately jeopardize the Leeks.

[jane E]

I have similar problem but my leeks are in root trainers. I'm hoping to plant out after the broad beans have finished but time marches on. I've also squashed my brussel sprouts together and hoping to move those after the second lot of broad beans and peas. talk about musical chairs!