[moggy]

Leeks poking through

Parsnips starting show

Sweetcorn doing well

Beetroot on its way

Chillis, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons

Lecttuce coming through in the planter

the biggest of my rhubarb plants

[beki]

Wow! You're doing so well - i'm jealous!  

I love the look of your courgette plants - you've inspired me to sow mine today now  

Your rhubarb's looking fab!!! I've got 4 of them sprouted this year (we only had 2 last year! lol gawd knows where the other 2 came from    ) so goodness knows what i'm going to do with it all  

Rhubarb crumble, rhubarb schnapps and rhubarb jam spring to mind though  

[Bear]

Great pics

Can I ask a question?

I have tried leeks for the last couple of years with no success at all. When do you transplant them from the seed tray?

When I transplant them they just die!

[Aidy]

Great pics

Can I ask a question?

I have tried leeks for the last couple of years with no success at all. When do you transplant them from the seed tray?

When I transplant them they just die!

I sow in a 4 inch pot, around 30-40 seeds in each, when pencil thickness thats when I transplant, I snip the roots and drop them into a pre-dibbed holed, water and leave, never backfill the hole, make sure they get plenty of water for a week or so after transplanting.

[Bear]

I probably transplant them too early then. It's just that they're quite tight together in the seed tray so I didn't think they would get to pencil thickness in the tray.

Interesting about snipping the roots, thought that would make it harder for them to survive? How short do you snip them?

[moggy]

thanks guys, its the first time grown parsnips, beetroot and leeks, everything else ive grown some sort of variety in the past in my parents greenhouse

[Trillium]

Unlike Aidy, I don't trim my leek roots when transplanting. But, the hole needs to be deep enough to accomodate the roots so they don't bend, fold, etc and you only lightly fill some soil into the hole, don't firm in. If the leeks flop a bit, that's okay as rains will wash in more soil and the plant will straighten itself. And water often until they're obviously responding (that is, if it doesn't rain often).

[compostqueen]

I let my leeks grow bigger before planting them, leaving them a month later than recommended. I've been planting mine in undug soil so if they were tiddlers they'd not make it. Planting beefier plants gives them a better chance. Grown super leeks thus far. Got the tip from The Allotment DVD