leeks

[Tripmeup]

Yep, as Andy said, they should take off once some sort of Spring arrives...
I remember often looking at what seemed like wisps and then whoosh, they take-off and become proper bulky leeks....

[cptncrackoff]

I wouldn't want to put a downer on things, but I have had a few attempts at leeks now, the biggest they have ever got for me is about 3/4" with most ending up not much bigger than a pencil... nothing to say yours will do this though! (secretly think I keep planting them out too late, but every year I seem to do the same!!)

Trying again this year!

[chris]

I wouldn't want to put a downer on things, but I have had a few attempts at leeks now, the biggest they have ever got for me is about 3/4" with most ending up not much bigger than a pencil... nothing to say yours will do this though! (secretly think I keep planting them out too late, but every year I seem to do the same!!)

Trying again this year!

Sow some now, a good pinch to a pot (3") - a few pots.

Sow some more again in a month, as above.

When they're large enough plant them out somewhere out of the way (as they are in a clump) and when they're all about pencil thickness dig them up carefully and separate them. Some people trim the roots, but I don't - dib some holes and just plonk them in the holes - water in ( don't back fill) and then as above slice off when needed.

I've not had to buy any leeks forthr last year and half maybe from doing this


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[cptncrackoff]

Might have to give that a go Chris..

would they need to be indoors to germinate, then out to the unheated conservatory?

[chris]

I've always sown them in a heated prop this time of year (need a bit of heat to germinate), then as soon as a couple have germinated, I take them out of the drop, and put them on a south facing windowsill. I've never taken them off at night, which some people advise too (I'm just lazy) - same as with my peppers/tomatoes. They'll just grow on looking like grass for a while, and seem to have a burst of growth when planted out (new nutrients I suppose) - making sure they've been hardened off.. then slow down a bit again, and when I finally plant them out they do seem to take a age to grow, but as soon as I stop looking at them they start to grow again

I've still got maybe 12 leeks left, from a packet that was sown - and then cut off underneath the soil level. Most did grow back, a few didn't.

Infact, I need to be sowing some more!