Kitchen Garden Forum

I've got some leek plantlets left over in root trainers from the summer. I've now got ground free. Am I too late to put them in? Even for mini leeks?

Dear Jane E, with the mild winters we have been getting lately i think it is worth having a go.
I planted a late variety last year in the second week of October, they were about pencil thickness, and had some nice sized leeks in April.

I would plant them out; you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Hello Jane
Yes - go ahead. As OH says it does depend on the winter but, with luck, you should get some excellent pencil sized leeks later on. They are a great delicacy as a single veg, far better than the great thick ones that you so often see around that are only fit for soup or stews. They can be planted close together, a few inches apart is all the room that they need. Use them up through the winter though as they will soon run to seed when the days start to lengthen.

John

You wll find the leeks that you grow from those transplants are much more acceptable in the kitchen than the big ones usually available. I have only just planted out a boxful myself with every expectation of a useful crop. Leeks are noted as continuing to grow through the winter.
Allan

Plant them out and cut the tops off if you need to. They will be fine.

Hello again Jane
Don't trim the tops as Tigger has suggested - this will only set the plants back, not something you will want to do at this time of year. As they are in root trainers just draw out a deepish furrow in the soil and plant them straight into the soil at the bottom, well down. As they settle in and continue growing draw soil back into the furrow to earth them up. Depending on how much growth you get, you might even be able to ridge them up with soil to get a really good blanch.
I guess you might know all this already though!

John

If you have space in the greenhouse or tunnel put some in there as they will bulk up nicely in the milder conditions.

I overwintered some last year, used as needed, worked really well, so doing the same again. The few weaker plants I transplanted to border & left to see what would happen. They produced very attractive flowers!!! Like chives, but white.
So I am doing the same again this year. I have 2 rows in, doing well. Unlike my sprouts & Brocoli that are just there!

Many thanks . This is one of the things this forum is so useful for - when one has a shall I, shan't I question. Will put them out tomorrow.

Rarebreed chick - As long as your broccoli and sprouts are still there, they'll come. We're in a windy position so I've put sticks to mine and a boot round their stalks to firm them in for the rougher weather.

Whatever John says - sorry John - I always cut the tops of my leeks at this time of the year to get strong plants and up until now - I've got a result!

Happy to do something else with half of them as a trial but you'd better be quick - the first lot met the chop last Saturday. Next lot due next weekend.

Ah! Perhaps if you had not cut the tops you might have got an even better result!!
As Jane has got her leeks growing away nicely in root trainers, I can't see any advantage in cutting the tops off when she plants them out.
If you are transplanting bare rooted leeks in the traditional way then its a good idea to trim the leaves to give the root system a good chance to get established. If too many leaves are left on, for a while they will be calling for more water than the roots can supply and the whole plant suffers.

John

Hi John,
I agree with you wholeheartedly about topping and tailing. To top a plant that has been grown in a root trainer pot is absurd. Absolutely nothing is gained and could actually work out to be the reverse.
Topping and tailing is really a thing of the past from the era when you planted your Leek seed in a nursery rows and transplanted out bare roots. Normally grown that way there is damage to the tops and to the roots during lifting and topping and tailing was to remove the damaged parts.
I have grown Leeks in Modules for many moons and topping and tailing is a total waste of time.
By this method as with root trainers there is virtually no disturbance to root or top and the Leeks grow away exceedingly fast. The only disadvantage I see with root trainers is the amount of compost used. My Leeks are raised using less than a tenth of the compost. In no way is this a criticism merely an observation.
JB.

I grow mine in modules too and they get planted out whent the space is available. As the roots are not disturbed I dont bother cutting the leaves back either as surely it would stall their growth.

I get good crops with the only problem being rust occasionaly.