Pot Leeks

[veg man]

Hi can anyone give me some info on growing pot leeks i.e at what size would you repot them,would you leave them in pots to grow as the name suggests.as the packet says to grow them out side.I was hoping to put some in are show in september.if to stay in pots what would the final pot size be thanks to all who answer

[Aberdeenplotter]

Hi can anyone give me some info on growing pot leeks i.e at what size would you repot them,would you leave them in pots to grow as the name suggests.as the packet says to grow them out side.I was hoping to put some in are show in september.if to stay in pots what would the final pot size be thanks to all who answer

I don't know where the name Pot leeks comes from but it doesn't mean they can or should be grown in Pots. Pot leeks grown for show are nowadays started off the preceding September/October. Although they can be grown from seed it is usual to grow them for showing from pips/grass, as that way, being a form of vegetative reproduction, the grower should end up with a number of identically formed mature plants to choose from. (Uniformity is one of the attributes looked for)

It is usual to start the pips in cell trays and then to move them on to larger and larger pots as the roots fill the space available. There is an excellent DVD on the subject by John Soulsby available from The National Vegetable Society website http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/dvds.html.

Although I grow for exhibition, I'm a novice with Pot leeks and also at a huge disadvantage compared to growers further south because of my geographical location. Most of the top growers grow these leeks under part or full cover.

[rustylady]

Found this explanation of what a pot leek is

We are talking about pot leeks which have a blanched area no longer than 15cm (6in) – with the largest possible circumference. They are called pot leeks because they were grown for the pot. Although some people think it is because they are pot shaped or grow in pots

on this site How to Grow Leeks | Humshaugh, Northumberland

[Aberdeenplotter]

The 6" area of blanch is misleading. What is permitted is a maximum distance of 6" from the rootplate to the button, and that is whether or not the whole of that part of the leek is blanched. The button being described in the Glossary to the NVS judges guide as "a membrane where the outermost leaf divides"

Edit note:

So if you have a 6" blanch plus another unblanched area to the button, the entry will be marked not according to schedule

[Aberdeenplotter]

Rusty, what did you google to get that? I cannot get any result relating to the name whatever I put in

[Thelma Sanders]

The quote is from the link in the post

[Aberdeenplotter]

Thanks, Thelma, I realise that.

[rustylady]

Rusty, what did you google to get that? I cannot get any result relating to the name whatever I put in

Just googled pot leeks AP, and picked that site from a selection of results.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I was looking for pot leeks - origin of name and various others .

[Thelma Sanders]

Thanks, Thelma, I realise that.

sorry it did seem too obvious to miss - and you hadn't missed it

[rustylady]

I was looking for pot leeks - origin of name and various others .

I find with Google it sometimes pays to keep your search terms fairly simple

[veg man]

So i know what the name means and a good idea of how to grow them Thanks for the info