Question for you Leek boffins :)

[reetnproper]

I've seen pictures of leeks, standing proudly in their final positions, growing tall and strong wearing carboard tubes and this morning, I've planted out 38 leeks and used my 28 strong toilet roll tube collection to adorn most of them .

But why have I done this? I can't find a reference to carboard tubes in my gardening books and although I found a picture of leeks in their evening attire in a GYO from May (I think), I can't find a reference to the picture or why the tubes are used , within the magazine itself.

My common sense (yes I do have some - not much but a little), tells me that it's either to:

1) Encourage the leeks to grow straight and tall whilst protecting them from the wind; or
2) To protect them from the over enthusiastic bug hunting activites of the birds (Mrs Blackbird in my case - you should see the holes she keeps digging into my potato mounds which I then have to back fill!); or
3) Protection from slugs; or
4) A 'clean' way to get longer white sections (not really convinced of this at all).

Or may it's for some other reason I haven't yet been able to fathom. So come on you leek boffins please tell me why I've done this, as one sight of my tube decorated leek bed has stopped my OH obsessing about mother rat long enough to thnk I've lost MY marbles .

Thanks
Reet
x

[Capsid]

I think it's answer #4. I'm trying the Pringles tubes this year.

[Tractor Boys]

I tried the tube method last year used kitchen towel tubes what a mess they all disintigrated in the wet. I think the pringle tubs may be a good idea as they are made of sturdier stuff but just an after thought arent they going to be too big.

[zazen999]

It's to blanch them.

However, I have found a better method.

I use a bulb planter to get the soil really deep, then drop them in. That's it!

Although it's a tad early to put them into their final position....you could utilise the space for the summer and put them into their final spaces in about 4 months time.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't use cardboard tubes above ground: they make perfect snail/slug hotels
Plus they disintegrate when it rains, as said already

[janeyo]

I won't be trying this with my tubes then, thanks. I will keep using them for beans and peas
I normally make a deep hole too (for the leeks) and just drop them in then fill it with water.

[Snadger]

For most people,the generally accepted method is to 'dibble' them in deeply to give a good long white section.
Having said that there are different types of leek!

The 'Pot leek' and 'Blanch leek' are two distinct breeds of leek. Both are usually planted close to the soil surface with only their basal plate covered, and may need to be supported.
The blanch leek is then blanched throughout the season to lengthen the white section.
The pot leek shows have a length restriction of either 5 1/2 inches or 6 inches to a tight button ( the area where the leek flag meets the stem) and either two or three leeks are exhibited depending on the area. These lengths are part of the breed and very little can be done to change them. Pot leeks are blanched when it gets close to the show, but only to give a milky white flesh for the judges, not to lengthen them.

[janeyo]

Blimy snager has been swallowing that encylopaedia again

like it!

[Alison]

Most of them up my site seem to follow the toilet roll route but I didn't bother and am not going to bother again this year mainly a) as the dibbing method worked well last year, b) I'm quite lazy and it looks like extra work and c) we don't get through many loo rolls and so I wouldn't have enough for all the leeks I'm growing

[Skotch]

I read somewhere recently of a method for leek planting which seems good in principal: First dig a trench some 6" deep and then dib 6" holes into the trench and plant the leeks into these. That way, when you need to 'earth up' to blanch the leeks, you have an extra 6" of blanched stem

Skotch

[sewer rat]

Unless you are planning on showing your leeks, I don't see the point in trying to blanch them more than you already will have done by planting them in a dibbed hole of 6" depth. How long is the blanch on supermarket or greengrocer purchased leeks - about 6" max - and does anyone complain about this - I thought not.

[binley100]

I like the bulb planter idea, we used one to plant our tatties then put a 2" layer of compost on top.