How big should leeks be by now?

[pinns]

I was reading my Feb issue of Grow Your Own (chillis on cover, free carrot seeds) and to my shock there is a bit on veg on page 10/11 about now is the time to 'finish the [leek] crop off and clear the ground' along with the lady saying she could have done with a few more to last the winter!

I'm totally confused, my Musselburghs are still TINY!, remaining basically pencil sized since the snow buried them in November! I'm in Edinburgh and have never grown them before and I knew they were a bit small, but I guess I was hoping that they would suddenly come on.

I cheated and bought them from GC (labelled winter leeks) early September at cocktail stick size, then put them into pots while I was on holiday, then eventually got them into the ground (still tiny but a bit taller) in October where they seemed to do nothing. Then they were flattened by the snow for around 5 weeks but most have righted themselves now. But they are still not even spring onion sized!

Should I give up now and pull them up (and my 6" cabbages planted around the same time) as a lost cause as I'm never going to make my Leek and Potato soup?! I would be most disappointed - but looking on the bright side I could do with the space back...

Also I planted lots of Electric and Sheshyu (can't remember the name) onion sets and some shallots in early November (it's when I got them in my delivery) and they only have shoots about an inch tall, are they doomed too? I feel like a total failure!!

[zazen999]

No, they are a little late to be honest, I have already sown my first batch - but they can sit there until they start to throw flower stems up....sometimes there is enough warmth in the spring for a late spurt of growth sometimes not - but you will get nothing if you dig them up now.

[FionaH]

Your Garden Centre misleads you I am afraid! Cocktail stick size in Septemer were never going to put on much growth before the winter set in.

I sow mine at the beginning of Feb and plant out when I clear the early spuds, late summer this year. Mine are proper leek size now and I am harvesting them for soup and the like regularly. Why not sow some now for next year?

[Aberdeenplotter]

As for clearing the ground now, you can lift your leeks with a fork then just heel them in somewhere else convenient in your vegetable plot until you are ready to use them.

You really do need to be doing the final planting out while there is still a realistic possibility of growth. Used to be the thing to plant the leeks in the ground cleared of new potatoes so that is July/August.

[Kristen]

Should I give up now and pull them up (and my 6" cabbages planted around the same time) as a lost cause as I'm never going to make my Leek and Potato soup?! I would be most disappointed - but looking on the bright side I could do with the space back...

Agree with others, I think garden centres are completely irresponsible selling vegetable plants way out of season. I was late planting Purple Sprouting Broccoli one year, and ordered some online (from Marshalls, so not a fly-by-night company), they took more than 4 weeks to arrive, and were so small I could have done the same job myself just sowing some from seed ...

If you don't need the space leave them as they might do a bit come the warm weather (although in Edinburgh that may be too late to be much use anyway?), otherwise cut your losses.

I reckon Leeks need to be planted out in July at the latest up North, probably June would be better. You can sow some in a reasonable sized pot (or a "seedbed") in March (personally I would resist sowing them earlier, unless the seed packet says otherwise, as it may encourage them to bolt).

But I garden Down South, so might be bit different for your area.

[pinns]

Ah, thanks everybody for your replies, I need to do a lot of learning! Too much too soon, no knowledge! Thank goodness for the Grapevine!

I took them out of the wee trays and put them into bigger pots as my courgettes weren't 'over' yet, then when I came back from hols I cleared them out, dug it over and put in the leeks, but perhaps I should have known they weren't big enough.

I would like to keep them as I feel they never got a chance, but as I don't have much space, they and the onions *are* my whole 'veg plot' at the moment! I think I will keep them for now, until I have something else ready to go in, then if they ever grow bigger maybe I can use them like Leek-spring-onions? I'd better read up on what can follow leeks.

I like the idea of sowing some instead, thanks for that, I do have a packet of Musselburgh seeds I bought on a whim half-price before Xmas, they say February I think. But I won't be trimming roots and tops if I do manage to grow them, it seemed unneccessarily barbaric last year, maybe I will try the mag advice and leave them intact! Now I just need to think of where seedlings can sit until June/July.

I think I need to get rid of the inappropriately huuuuge shed they left me in the garden and have more growing room!!

[Kristen]

perhaps I should have known they weren't big enough

The garden centre should have know that - better than you in fact.

"But I won't be trimming roots and tops if I do manage to grow them, it seemed unneccessarily barbaric last year, maybe I will try the mag advice and leave them intact!"

Hehehe ... yes, seems "barbaric" doesn't it. I have read of side-by-side trials where no difference was found, so up to you. If the roots are very long it can be difficult to get them to go down the planting hole, and I think the thinking is that if the leaves flop on the ground that can cause things to eat them, and introduce disease. But I never trim the roots or leaves on mine.

"Now I just need to think of where seedlings can sit until June/July. "

If you are going to do a "pot full" then I suggest somewhere you'll see them and remember to water them

Here's what mine looked like on 05-May

[Two_Sheds]

I planted lots of Electric and Sheshyu ...early November ... they only have shoots about an inch tall

These aren't ready to pick until June, so they have plenty of time yet.
As you've now realised, plants don't actively grow over winter (too cold, too dark), but they will put down good roots and take off in March

Your Garden Centre misleads you I am afraid!

They would plead "buyer beware" I expect, although that doesn't make it right. They are taking advantage of this new fashion for GYO and are only thinking of profit

I think I will keep them for now, until I have something else ready to go in

You might as well, and they'll still be edible. Mine are like pencils too, I put them in far too late last year (trying to beat the leek moth). They'll get going in March and be an edible size

[Jono]

Last year my later leeks got a second wind come spring, and grew on after staying dormant over the winter. They were bigger than pencils though.

I'd leave them there for sure, you never know what might happen.

[binley100]

My leeks weren't growing very well ...........but when I dug one up it all became crystal clear Allium miner fly, but hopefully it hasn't reached your neck of the woods.........

[pinns]

Thanks for all the replies, and the photo, Kristen - that's pretty much what they looked like when I bought them at end August/start September! They did come on more in the pots while I was away, so the width of the stems were maybe 2-3mm across like tiny spring onions. I'd happily start eating them if they got to spring onion size!

I will leave them and hope they put on a bit of growth, then around May I will probably clear the ground for the courgettes again, and put more of my spuds in sacks instead.

Again thanks for all your advice everyone!

pinns