Leeks

[Scarlet]

I must admit, I always trim the root because they drop easier into the holes.

[Kristen]

On Beachgrove Garden earlier this year they said that the reason they topped and tailed was to make the leeks easier to handle and plant.

Yes, I would agree - the reasons normally given for Top & Tail are if the roots are big/long enough that won't easily go down the hole (I twist mine slightly as I insert them which I find solves that) or if the leaves touch the ground (and might therefore get Rust etc. more easily).

But scientific comparison of the two methods has found no difference in resultant crop and, personally, I think (despite the evidence to the contrary!!) that reducing leaf and root must be setting the plant back, so I leave them be.

[Kristen]

Perhaps **I** should do half-and-half next year and see how the resultant crop compares

[Kristen]

Hmmm ... I wonder what effect Top & Tail has on Leek transplants that are NOT up to Pencil Size? For smaller transplants I wonder if Top & Tail sets the plants back more and thus might account for leeks not getting to a decent size by the end of the season?

[chilli_grower]

I grew musselburgh this year. Half bolted, and became very woody. THe other half were ok and around 1 inch thick.

Next year I will be sinking kitchen roll tubes in the ground and popping the leeks in there, to hopefully hold the soil back and get some girth....

[Scarlet]

Hmmm ... I wonder what effect Top & Tail has on Leek transplants that are NOT up to Pencil Size? For smaller transplants I wonder if Top & Tail sets the plants back more and thus might account for leeks not getting to a decent size by the end of the season?

I personally think they don't like competition! All my seedling came from a fellow grape, his are double the size of my transplants We planted them in the same day. His plot is weed free..mine isnt

[Aberdeenplotter]

Leeks Don't like me. I grow them from March plant them in late June. Top and tail em pop them in a hole and water them in and come October they still look like spring onions.
Thankyou

First of all, leeks don't have feelings . Grow them from pips/grass or grow them from seed. Top and tail the plants or not it really doesn't make any difference but bear in mind that at the end of the day you will only get out of your vegetable plot what you put in. If there is insufficient feed/nutrients in the leek bed at planting out time, you are unlikely to get a decent crop. Leeks like most alliums are gross feeders so be sure to dig in copious amounts of farmyard manure or home made compost. The bed should be free draining yet the soil should be kept moist (not wet).

Try to keep the bed weed free as they don't like competition for nutrients.

So feed them well and I suppose if you also talk to them every day, they won't just like you, they will love you

p.s. there a growing guide on the GYO site Growing Leeks | How To Grow | Grow Your Own. Surprisingly enough, there is no reference at all to preparing the leek bed.

[Mr Bones]

Preparing our leek bed we usually dig in a load of home made compost (nitrogen rich FYM apparently encourages rust). Then using a draw hoe, make a trench four or five inches deep, earthing the soil up on each side. Next tread down the base of the trench and dib five inch deep holes for the leeks about nine inches apart. Water in the young plants to get a bit of soil round the roots but don't fill the holes in. Over the following weeks as you hoe weeds from the sides of the ridges soil will fill in the trench leaving a level bed and encouraging a leek blanch of eight to ten inches. I find it most workable to make two rows at a time, a foot apart so you can straddle the rows to weed.
Just wish I could find a practical organic way to protect from leek moth and allium miner.

[Alison]

Just wish I could find a practical organic way to protect from leek moth and allium miner.

Enviromesh would work a treat by simply excluding the little blighters

[Greenleaves]

^^^^ got my vote with that solution, if in doubt keep em out

[Mr Bones]

Enviromesh would work a treat by simply excluding the little blighters

I use enviromesh on carrots and rocket etc. but I usually grow about 300 leeks so it would be quite an outlay. So far I've trialed chopped up rhubarb leaves scattered between the rows and also celeriac leaves. Hasn't deterred the moth any but hoping it'll help with the miner.

[Kristen]

Fleece might do for Leaf Miner (assuming you are more likely to have that lying around than miles of Enviromesh ). Leaf Miner only active twice a year I think? In Spring I don't think it is a problem as my plants are still seedlings, in a tray, and I would easily see if they were invaded at that stage, second generation is Oct-Nov I think, and the Leek Moth is a bit earlier - August onwards perhaps? - in which case might be do-able to cover with Fleece just for that period?

[Spuddie]

Well now the time to put all your good advice to the test. Thanks

[Spuddie]

I've started them off indoors and potted the seedlings on into their own three centimetre compartments in a tray on a windowsill. Should I now be getting them into a cold greenhouse as their original vigour seems to have slowed.

Would you do the same with cabbage seedlings and onions?

Thanks