Leeks not very thick

[gilwrig]

Can anyone think of any reason why my leek seedling don't seem to be putting on any girth?

They are about 3 weeks old and are like grass seeds - how long do they take to get to pencil thickness?

Hope you can help.
Gill

[paula.berriman]

Give them some time. Leeks mature slowly so do take a bit of time to put on the girth but once planted out with plenty of sunshine and some good soil (they are heavy feeders) they will thrive and you can pick them as small or as large as you like.

Hope that helps.

[gilwrig]

Thanks very much - I will have more patience with them!

[paula.berriman]

I know how you feel. Im a very impatient gardener and resort to planting radish anywhere just to get some quick results and it also pacifies the vultures (family and work colleagues) who want the veg from your plot.

I havent even started sowing yet but its just a bit too cold up North and i need to buy in my compost. All will be going on pay day!!!

[gilwrig]

I'm up North too and my ever windowsill in my house is covered with partly germinated lovelies.

I'm always wary of vultures - people who will have it just "cos it's free" annoy me. I once gave someone I work with a large clump of bamboo only to find out that they had a few days later sold it to someone else for a tiny sum.

[Shadylane]

How rude. Honestly, some people.
My leeks are looking pitiful at the mo. They've been in a while but because I put them outside as soon as they'd germinated (maybe I should have waited until after the crook stage) they've been on a go slow ever since. It's just so damn cold. Last year we planted them out around April/May time I think and they weren't pencil thick but they did just fine. I wouldn't worry - they've got ages yet

[Paulottie]

Leeks are normally set out in July...in my case in the space freed by the early spuds....so that's about five months to pencil thickness!! Patience Glasshopper.

[pjh75]

The first few times I tried leeks I sowed in seed trays and couldn't get them to pencil thickness. Then I started direct sowing outdoors and bingo... no problems at all. Don't know if it is just coincidence but it works for me.

[Flummery]

Paulottie has just beaten me to it! They are like grass for AGES! Panic not. You won't need to put them in their dibbled holes for months.

[leah]

I put my leeks in cellular trays, one seed each, will they be ok? Mine didn't get much fatter than the grass last year in a tray stuck them in the greenhouse, they took a while to come up, but seem to be doing ok so far

[rustylady]

Leeks are very slow growing. I normally sow mine in March and plant out June or July. Just make sure you keep them fed and watered.

[Paulottie]

I put my leeks in cellular trays, one seed each, will they be ok? Mine didn't get much fatter than the grass last year in a tray stuck them in the greenhouse, they took a while to come up, but seem to be doing ok so far

I have found leeks do better in a deeper box or pot than in modular trays....I have gone to all the trouble of pricking them out to single or spacing them in trays and the ones just sown thickly in 2 litre pots faired better.

[Alison]

I've not even sown all my leeks yet! Have 3 pots full of early ones in the greenhouse but they are looking like grass and will do for a fair while yet. Will be sowing some more this weekend which I won't be eating until deepest winter although I don't want to think about winter at the moment as it seems to be moving to spring again now.

Have tried sowing in individual pots and to be honest it didn't work very well, I've done far better with a light sprinking sown in deep pots and then pulled apart when time to plant out.

[zazen999]

I do mine as Alison does; sow in batches into modules and then I transplant into a 'holding position' nice and deep in the corner of a bed somewhere.

Then, as the space becomes available - they go into their final positions around the mid/end of summer.

They don't mind their roots being pulled apart; in fact this seems to spur them on. There's no way I'd waste one module per leek Far too much space used up that way. They love a bit of competition - it seems to encourage them a bit.

[BUFFS]

I have found leeks do better in a deeper box or pot than in modular trays....I have gone to all the trouble of pricking them out to single or spacing them in trays and the ones just sown thickly in 2 litre pots faired better.

i put 3/4 seeds into each pot of a 24pot seedtray,i sometimes just plant them out as they are,they wouldnt win prizes for size but as big as the overpriced ones you see in supermarkets...and they taste lovely...