Why are my leeks so thin?

[Snadger]

The leeks grown for the shows around here are specifically grown to be at there greatest size on the day of the show (usually Sept).
Leeks like Musselburgh etc are sown months later than show varieties in the spring to supply leeks for the table throughout the Autumn/winter period and well into spring.
They are one vegetable that will actually grow throughtout the winter, putting on girth as they do so.

[Helgalush]

The leeks grown for the shows around here are specifically grown to be at there greatest size on the day of the show (usually Sept).
Leeks like Musselburgh etc are sown months later than show varieties in the spring to supply leeks for the table throughout the Autumn/winter period and well into spring.
They are one vegetable that will actually grow throughtout the winter, putting on girth as they do so.

Hope for me yet then

[Aberdeenplotter]

The leeks grown for the shows around here are specifically grown to be at there greatest size on the day of the show (usually Sept).

You almost got it right Snadge. Show leeks are grown to be in optimum condition on show day and yes, they will be big, but if not lifted, they will continue to grow as do the kitchen varieties.


leeks under NVS rules have a maximum pointage of 20 broken down as follows.

Condition 6
Size 5
Uniformity 4
Shape 3
Colour 2

Size is important but not as important as condition and it is the overall total that counts not just size.

[Keni]

Over here they trim the top leaves off to allow all the nourishment to go into the body of the leek, this does seem to thicken them up fairly quickly- mind you ours are for eating!

[Snadger]

You almost got it right Snadge. Show leeks are grown to be in optimum condition on show day and yes, they will be big, but if not lifted, they will continue to grow as do the kitchen varieties.


leeks under NVS rules have a maximum pointage of 20 broken down as follows.

Condition 6
Size 5
Uniformity 4
Shape 3
Colour 2

Size is important but not as important as condition and it is the overall total that counts not just size.

As leeks are a biennial, there is an art in knowing how long your strain of leek will keep growing before it runs to seed. There are growth factors which can effect this but by enlarge I reckon an exhibitor will time this to be reasonably soon after they have peaked for his show date as it is not an exact science.
I doubt the leeks grown for show purposes will increase in girth much after the show date (splitting, and no longer having a tight button can be a problem BEFORE show date), taste will diminish and they will rapidly go downhill until they run to seed IMHO.
These leeks have been force fed high doses of nitro for a lot of there life and haven't got the toughness of say a Musselburgh leek, bred to crop throughout the winter months.
The growth period from starting seed/pips/grass to end result is finite and if they were going to put on growth after the show, they would have been sown earlier to capatalise on this growth.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Snadge, Exhibition leeks are not force fed anything particularily high doses of Nitro anything. The pips are started off in multipurpose compost and moved on into a mixture of mp and John Innes three. the next mix will include some soil from the border in the tunnel where leeks were grown last year and I also throw in some vermiculite to keep the compost mix open and some slow release fertiliser. Other than that,the only feed comes from what is in the leek trench and that is a mix of vegetable matter that will feed the leek through to show time. As to whether the leek grows much after the show depends on when the show is.
My first show this year was in mid August and my last show at the end of September. There was a huge amount of growth in the interim period and those leeks that are left are continuing to put on weight and remain in good condition.

the leeks I put down to seed will be planted up in pots and left outside over winter and I have no reason to expect that they will not survive this year as they have done in the past. They are every bit as hardy as those grown specifically for the kitchen and they will not run to seed this year now.

The one finite thing is that the leeks cannot be started off from grass until the grass is big enough to plant out individually and when that is done towards the end of this month/early November it will be with bottom heat and under artificial lights.

[Snadger]

Snadge, Exhibition leeks are not force fed anything particularily high doses of Nitro anything. The pips are started off in multipurpose compost and moved on into a mixture of mp and John Innes three. the next mix will include some soil from the border in the tunnel where leeks were grown last year and I also throw in some vermiculite to keep the compost mix open and some slow release fertiliser. Other than that,the only feed comes from what is in the leek trench and that is a mix of vegetable matter that will feed the leek through to show time. As to whether the leek grows much after the show depends on when the show is.
My first show this year was in mid August and my last show at the end of September. There was a huge amount of growth in the interim period and those leeks that are left are continuing to put on weight and remain in good condition.

the leeks I put down to seed will be planted up in pots and left outside over winter and I have no reason to expect that they will not survive this year as they have done in the past. They are every bit as hardy as those grown specifically for the kitchen and they will not run to seed this year now.

The one finite thing is that the leeks cannot be started off from grass until the grass is big enough to plant out individually and when that is done towards the end of this month/early November it will be with bottom heat and under artificial lights.

I dare bet though that the slow release fert added wil be nitro rich, thereby giving a continuous supply of nitro thoughout the summer? Can I also ask if the leeks you grow for show purposes are the same ones you eat throughout the winter or do you also grow some others for that purpose?
I don't show leeks anymore, but the show strain I have doesn't do particularily well throughout the winter so I grow other leeks for that purpose.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Snadge you seem determined that show leeks will be getting nitro rich sustenance. The NPK is 17:7:9 and all I add is a tablespoonful per 3 gallon bucket so it is a trickle feed. I grow musselburgh for kitchen use simply because they are a more manageable size and I have always used them for kitchen. Show leeks take a lot of looking after to be able to present them at their best and it isn't practical or sensible to do that simply for kitchen use. I only grow enough for the shows I exhibit at for that very reason.