will my leeks survive?

[russell]

Hi All

Someone told me I could put leeks in late and so I did. The pictures attached are what I've got so far.

Will they survive what is left of our summer (!) and into winter.

Should I leave them or dig them up, feed them to the chooks and plant something else?

Thanks

[vicky]

Leave them, they should survive, they'll just be more spring onion than leek!

[FionaH]

To be honest they look just like mine and I planted those as plugs from the Garden Centre. Im gonna leave mine and see what happens

[zazen999]

They're fine, I've just sown some more and they look smaller than that.

chuck some coffee grounds round them if you can.

[Demeter]

My late sowing of leeks looks similar.
I'm hoping there will be time for baby leeks before close of play.
Even if they are just pencil thick I can still chop them up and use them

[zazen999]

Even if they stay stick thin during winter, they will bulk up in spring. Just be sure to get them before they bolt. As soon as a few start, harvest the rest [freeze if necessary] and leave the few that have bolted to set seed.

I sow lots and lots because they are great for breaking up clay soil, and I prefer them smaller and sweeter. Already had 3 leek and potato tarts from the ones sown this spring and grown in the lottie [which I didn't get until April]. They are a year round crop so you can sow pretty much any time of year.

[Demeter]

zazen that all sounds very comforting
And if they break up clay soil then I know just where to put them once they get a bit bigger

[zazen999]

Nothing as comforting as leek and potato soup. Love it.

[Alice]

Gee Whiz, they do look spindly Russel. They can only get better. I would leave them and you might be surprised at the outcome. You've nothing to loose. Let them stand into the winter and see what happens. Good luck.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Mine look that puny too (have faith, Alice!) - I'm sure that they will sit and sulk for ages, so ignore them until the new year and I promise that all of a sudden you will be eating leeks to your heart's content.

[Two_Sheds]

When did you sow them?
Mine are between pencil size and, ahem something that's thicker than that ... I sowed them back in April I think

[russell]

Can't remember when I sowed them. One of my mistakesthis year was to just chuck stuff in the ground without writing down dates etc. when I sowed/planted.

Big lesson for next year - write down dates etc. and when things might be ready.

[Two_Sheds]

Can't remember when I sowed them. One of my mistakesthis year was to just chuck stuff in the ground without writing down dates etc. when I sowed/planted

I've started writing the date on the label. Trouble is, I trample all the labels into the ground, or they get buried under mulch

[russell]

Having kids doesn't help either. You turn you back for one minute and all is lost.

I've lost tomatoes and cabbages when the kids have decided to 'help' me.

[Snadger]

I've started writing the date on the label. Trouble is, I trample all the labels into the ground, or they get buried under mulch

Just use the 'What I've done today' thread as a memory jogger. That's what I do!