getting the whitest leeks

[queen of the cobs]

Hi All,

Have grown leeks from seed for the first time this year, and just not sure how sucessful they have been - some are pretty sturdy, and almost the size of a pencil (I presume that means thickness of a pencil and not length?). Some are looking very sorry for themselves.

So, if I dib out a hole in my plot and drop them in, how far down should I bury them?

And should I just plant them all out now, or just the strongest ones?

Would love any advice as am not sure I'm going to get more than a few leeks this year for my trouble - still, have got about 60 tomato plants, so that should make up for any disappointment!

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Queen of the Cobs, and thanks for asking that question. My leeks are just about coming up to planting size and I was wondering how deep to dib the planting hole. Now we'll both find out.
Take it you like tomatoes

[jacob marley]

The way to plant Leeks is once the ground is ready and the plants are ready
using a bodger or similar tool make the right number of holes about 6 inches deep get plants if the root are to long i trim them other people do not but i never have a problem drop the plants in the holes and fill the up with water making sure that the plants do not float out if you want extra white ones you can blanch the with stiff grade brown paper tar paper is best and slowly earth them up as they grow they grow for along time so there is no rush ps i nearly forgot the holes need to be about six inches apart enjoy jacob

[Alice]

Thanks Jacob.

[Paulottie]

Welcome to the vine Queen

Traditional tool is broken spade handle sharpened in the fire. Jacob seems to have covered it but i'll add -if you do trim roots they only resprout from basel plate(ie roots wont divide or regrow when broken) and you should trim the leaves as well too avoid water loss.

Try and line leaves along the row so the don't flop in the path allowing for hoeing etc.

If you are interested in long blanch. I am trying a new method this year using a celery style trench. These were taken a few weeks back at planting. Early i know but I am trying to get some ready for a show in August. the next batch will follow the early spuds next month.

[Alice]

Very illuminating Paulottie. The pics sure help. Thank you. Good luck for the show.

[queen of the cobs]

thanks everyone - you leave the holes wide then? Don't fill them in?

[Dobby]

I have heard you can also put a pice of piping over the leak too once they have settled think it was on the big dig
but yes like Jacob has siad water them in
yes dont fill in with soil just let natuer take its corse

[Paulottie]

Just fill the 1 1/2"hole with water to settle them and then holes will fill on their own.

[Paulottie]

I have heard you can also put a pice of piping over the leak too once they have settled think it was on the big dig

Think the problems are trying to thread leeks in and creating a snail hotel. I have some tree protecters to wrap round while in earthing them up. I ease these out afterwards. Some wrap newspaper around while earthing- All this is lots of trouble unless you are an enthusiast. Most often, for everyday use, I slice leek lengthways to centre (ie. not like swiss roll) to enable any accidental grit to be removed.

[Dobby]

Think we are just going to water them in we have plenty anyway and there is only 2 of us that eat them

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine Queen

Traditional tool is broken spade handle sharpened in the fire. Jacob seems to have covered it but i'll add -if you do trim roots they only resprout from basel plate(ie roots wont divide or regrow when broken) and you should trim the leaves as well too avoid water loss.

Try and line leaves along the row so the don't flop in the path allowing for hoeing etc.

If you are interested in long blanch. I am trying a new method this year using a celery style trench. These were taken a few weeks back at planting. Early i know but I am trying to get some ready for a show in August. the next batch will follow the early spuds next month.

I think it's worth mentioning to everyone that for show leeks there are two distinct types of leek ie Pot leek and blanch leek which both have there own cultivars suited to there type of growth!

[Paulottie]

Indeed Snadger but the home of the super girth-pot leek is the north, while us soft southerners don't bother with them -I don't grow anything i wouldn't eat, show or not.

[Snadger]

Indeed Snadger but the home of the super girth-pot leek is the north, while us soft southerners don't bother with them -I don't grow anything i wouldn't eat, show or not.

The only pot leeks that don't get eaten are the ones that are kept for seed.
I used to show my pot leeks many moons ago and was rather gutted when after the show they raffled the leeks for charity. Growers used to stick red hot knitting needles up the centre to stop anyone using there prize leeks strain for there own seed!
I only grow the big Kelsae onions now (not for show) and thats mainly because I like the taste of them. Likewise with show leeks, it was the pitmen who started growing them, and with times being hard nothing was/is wasted.

[Paulottie]

I had heard that seed was jealously guarded -interesting what you say about sterilizing them. I knew it was a miners thing and yes, of course nothing would be wasted!