[scousemouse]

Ok, I'm in my 2nd year of allotmenteering and on my 2nd attempt to grow leeks.  Second time round I've managed to get my T&M F1 Musselburgh to the size of smallish spring onions - 6-8" tall, which I didn't last year! After being grown in modules, they were planted up to harden off and thicken up a bit in a trough, where they've done ok.  Now I'm ready to plant them out properly in a raised bed.

Now, I know that you make a hole with the dibber deep enough to leave a couple of inches of planting peeking out of the top and that you water them in, not bunch them up with soil.  However, my usual source of gardening wisdom, an uncle who's been growing in his back garden for 30 years recommends chopping the (very) long roots back to about half an inch before dropping them in the holes. 

Is this a good idea or not?  From what bit I do know about gardening, normally you have to treat the roots like royalty!

Oh, and how far apart should I plant the seedlings? I can't find any info on that.

[mumofstig]

Look at previous discussions here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17661.0

I Googled for you and found among others:-

Channel 4 Growing Guides
Planting distance:
Individual leek seedlings are best planted 15cm (6in) apart in each row with 25cm (12in) between rows

[Brassica Blaz]

hi scousemouse,i trimmed mine cos they were that long when i tried to pop them in the holes they came up the side of the leek which scared me a bit so i cut them back.just my experience

[scousemouse]

Thanks for the tips and also for pointing me to the old thread! I haven't learnt how to use the search function yet! 

I was a bit scared to trim the roots when I transplanted the seedlings to the trough as they were very thin - like chives I suppose.  Now they look like smallish spring onions I feel better about doing it.  But the roots were nearly as long as the plant!

I think I'll trim.  I was told about snipping the top of the plant as well but I think this year I'll just do roots and then next year I'll try both!

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, i allways think when you want to try something new do a comparison. On trimming leeks for example do half and leave the other half and see if there is a difference. Like varieties grow two varieties of the same type and see which does best in your soil, it's all about experiment. 

[Aidy]

I always trim the roots and the tops to encourage more top and bottom growth when I transplant them into the dibbed hole.

[DD.]

I've just put 175 in with the snip-snip method.

Excellent day for dibbing, soil soft & moist & a nice deep clean dibbed hole. With the roots timmed the plant dropped straight to the bottom of the hole with no messing.

[scousemouse]

Well, I put 20 plants in after sowing 40 seeds in modules.  I wasn't sure how many to sow, but I'm happy with a 50% germination rate.  Or shouldn't I be?

Anyway, I've trimmed the roots and I'll second what other people have said above - if you don't trim them it's a bit awkward to get them into the hole! Some of them had roots far longer than the leeks themselves!

Oh, and I found out that if you don't firm your soil before using the dibber and just pulling the dibber out instead of twisting it slowly and vertically, all the soil round the hole just falls back into the hole!    I learnt that trick after the third row lol.

[DD.]

Shameless excuse for re-posting my method of leek growing.

175 useful plants from 2 trays this year. The runts got composted.!

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

[lucywil]

DD- do you dibb them or trench and dibb them, the old guys on our plot insist on the trench method but surely it is just making hard work for yourself? we are trying both ways this year to see if it makes any difference (well i say we, leeks are the one plant i actually let my hubby plant)

[DD.]

I dib!!

Perfect at the moment, soil's soft & damp, nice clean deep hole & no messing!