Leek seedlings..the next stage !

[Flobalob]

My leek seedlings are currently in the greenhouse growing in modules. They are approx. 6" tall. I am now unsure what to do with them at this stage.
Do I harden them off,then plant them out(without pricking out) then when they have further grown (pencil thick) do I then replant them using a dibber and just filling the hole with water ?

[Snadger]

The dibbles hole method is usually only used if you have grown them in a clump altogether. If you have them each in individual modules it would be better to plant them with a trowel as you would other veg. I very rarely wait until they are pencil thicknes and mostly plant when they are cocktail stick thickness.
The leek showmen won't plant there's into the garden until the first week in June but by the sound of it, once you have hardened them off for a while and they are starting to get potbound, they will be better planted out where they should romp away.

[Flobalob]

Many thanks snadger. I'll wop them in as they are then.

[womble]

The leek showmen won't plant there's into the garden until the first week in June

Why's that then?

Must admit I normally don't even bother sowing leek seeds until some time in April, but I did sow some last September, providing they don't go to seed or something silly, I am way ahead of the game.
Still going to sow some more this April though.

[Snadger]

Why's that then?

Must admit I normally don't even bother sowing leek seeds until some time in April, but I did sow some last September, providing they don't go to seed or something silly, I am way ahead of the game.
Still going to sow some more this April though.

In my neck of the woods you can still get a frost up til June!

[womble]

You can here as well, but I haven't ever had leeks bothered by frost?

[phil the shed]

ours are planted in june after the early spuds are lifted.
my dad said it was the best use of space( he'll be pleased i listened occasionally)
so thats why ours go in in june

[bubblewrap]

I'm trying a double transplant this year.
I first set the seeds & waited till they were about 4" tall then divided them and planted them in compost (using a pen to make hole) in 2 litre milk bottles(12 to a bottle) I have 25 bottles at the moment with more to transplant(ran out of milk bottles) I am hoping to plant in lottie some time in June.

[Snadger]

You can here as well, but I haven't ever had leeks bothered by frost?

The type of leeks grown for show AREN'T the frost hardy variety grown for winter use. These are mollycuddled specimens which mature well before the autumn frosts and are planted AFTER the spring frosts!

They would probably be sown in December and kept on heat, possibly using growlights, slowly hardened off and planted in early June afer all risk of frost. (even then they would be planted in covered trenches)

[GrubbyGirl]

Another quick question about leeks from a beginner. I was at my local nursery and they had leek seedlings for sale. I naively thought they would be single plants but they were selling them in modules with lots of them (about 10 at a guess) like a little bunch of grass. Is this the way they are planted out or do you split them up? I think it would be hard to separate at that size. If you do separate them, then they were clearly a bargain because you’d get about 60 plants for £3.

Angela

[womble]

You split them up, it will be easy, don't worry about it.

Snadger, your knowledge of the useless fact yet again amazes me.
Do they actually eat them? Is what I want to know.