When To Plant Leek Seeds?

[Galileo]

Hi

I bought a packet of Leek seeds "Musselburgh" and it says on the back of the packet to sow in Jan - Feb.

Does this mean to sow outside in a seed bed? or under cover like a cold greehouse? or in a heated propagator?

Will the soil be warm enough now at the beginning of Feb to sow outside or will the seed just rot?

Thanks

Galileo

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've put some in a 4" pot on the (cold) kitchen windowsill. They are just coming through now, so will be hoofed out into the plastic greenhouse thingy in the next few days.

Mind you, I've not sown them this early before, so that might not be the best advice!

[Pies]

I planted mine a couple of weeks ago, into a deep polystyrene container and left in a cool greenhouse,just not freezing and they are coming through now
hopefullythey will be ok

[bazzaboy]

G, as others have suggested be sympathetic to the plight of seedlings at this time of year and give them a reasonably gentle start (alliums/leeks are quite tough and don't need artificial heat, just not freezing) and then you'll be able to dibble them into open soil once they are established and conditions milder. It's logical that the earlier you start them the longer the growing season so the larger the resulting leeks (so folk growing for Shows will probably have started them before Christmas) - but it equally follows if you like or can use smaller leeks (say finger thickness) you can start them much later than February and they'll still over-winter satisfactorily, just be smaller. bb.

[Snadger]

I have one lot of musselburgh seedlings ready to go to the greenhouse now. Have just sown another batch.
This is as well as the 200 or so grass leeks I already have in the greenhouse. Started in October these show strain are approaching pencil thickness and hopefully won't run straight to seed when planted out!

I like leeks!

[Prince of Durham]

If you sow them into pots, sow thinly and in deep pots (over 4" deep) you'll get really good thick seedlings.

[sushant]

Hazel's trick worked for me!!

Thanks Hazel your tip really worked for me.
If you guys are still having some troubles in this, check out 3 Ways to Grow Leeks - wikiHow

[BertieFox]

It depends when you want your first leeks. If you want them in autumn and winter as most of us do then there is nothing to stop you germinating the seed much later when they are easier to germinate. If you want particularly early ones or 'exhibition' types, then start really early. I usually grow a short line or so in the polytunnel soil and then transplant then when they are ready. That works very well for me. But I would not sow in the tunnel soil until the end of this month.

[jacob]

I'll plant mid-Feb, germinate inside, then kick them out to the unheated greenhouse as soon as they're up.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'll be starting mine in March, in old washing up bowls or cat litter trays.
I sow them about 1in apart and 1/2 in deep and put them in the cold greenhouse.

Once they're grass-like they go outside to fatten up before transplanting, I give them a couple of liquid feeds if they look a bit weedy

This year they are going under fleece/netting to stop the leek moth/miner getting them again!

[Valleyman]

My Musselburgh leeks (I just finished last years crop at the weekend) will be planted into pots on the kitchen window sill this weekend. My understanding is they only need about 10C to germinate, so our cold kitchen is perfect. But still far too cold outdoors.

I tend to sow quite thinly into 6 inch flower pots. I find seed trays don't have the depth and by the time I come to transplant them they are thin and weedy and poking out of the bottom, and I can't be bothered with two transplants! The depth of a flower pot gives me the so called "pencil" thick leaks (albeit thin pencils!) by the time I plant out.

Last year didn't have a single failure after transplantation and had pretty consistent leeks between 25-35mm in diameter. They got hit by rust, which didn't affect the crop, but were otherwise problem free. Good luck!

[Stan79]

Interesting thread. I have been planting mine in seed trays and have had some good success. I think i'll try the plant pot idea this year though to see if they can grow a bit bigger! Thanks all!

[Kristen]

I grow my Leek seedlings / transplants in polystyrene fish boxes - but any similar box would do, needs to be 3" - 4" deep and have drainage holes. I sow the seed, laboriously, 1/2" apart in neat rows, that way they have enough space to develop without having to thin / prick out.


Seedlings


Tipped out ready for planting


Separated ready for planting - pencil thickness Yeah!


Growing through Mypex (October)

[Kristen]

In the kitchen - XMas

[Valleyman]

In the kitchen - XMas

What variety are they? They look look lovely.