[AlistairMcLennan]

Hi,

Hoping someone can help regarding an article I read somewhere about when planting on leeks, to put a toilet roll inner longways and put this round the leek, held in place with an elastic band. It said this was to give it more blanch on the stem.

Does anyone have more info or has heard of this method?

Cheers

Alistair

[DD.]

Hi Alistair, personally I don't as I wouldn't be able to save enough loo rolls!

There are a lot that do and no doubt they will reply, but if you put " leeks toilet roll" into a forum search, you'll get a lot of hits.

[Aidy]

Yes, there is many different methods for blanching stems, earthing up like spuds etc. I tend not to bother as I like to see colour on the plate, nowt worse than a plate of anemic veg.

[AndyRVTR]

nowt worse than a plate of anemic veg.

[Kristen]

Hoping someone can help regarding an article I read somewhere about when planting on leeks, to put a toilet roll inner longways and put this round the leek, held in place with an elastic band.

In olden times Leeks were planted in trenches , and then earthen up as the season progress to blanch more of the stem.

This is a bit of a faff, and is also likely to get soil into the top, growing part, of the Leek - which then stays-put all the way until the Leek is on the plate - and is gritty to have to eat

Nowadays I expect most people plant their Leeks with a dibber - making a whole 6" deep or so, popping the Leek in (watering the hole, but not back=filling with soil to keep it out of the growing end).

To get more blanched stem length, once the Leek has grown some more and is tall enough (i.e. not when you first plant them) you can pop a Loo Roll Over the plant which excludes light.  A bit later on you could, if you want, just crimp or bend the bottom of another Loo Roll such that when you add that on top it "mates" with the first one, rather than sliding down.

I don't think you will nee elastic bands as the Leek plant should keep them in place (maybe the idea of the elastic band is to seal the top to exclude more light.

[mumofstig]

when I dibbed leeks into raised beds in the garden, I found that during the course of the summer the soil/comost mix slumped. I popped toilet roll tubes over them to get enough blanched stem.
I don't have to do that on the allotment, cos I can dib them deep enough

[herbiegrowsbananas]

Hiya

When I planted out my scrawny little leek babies I just dibbed a hole, filled it with water and let them sink right down into hole, really quite deeply.

We've grown gorgeous big leeks and I'm definititely going to do the same this year.

I'm a bit wary of chemicals of the loo roll from the glue, etc...?

Herbie

[solway cropper]

I can't see the point of the loo roll or any other blanching method if you just want leeks for the table. I dib mine into holes 6-9 inches deep and with the bit out of the soil they usually end up with a foot or so of nicely blanched leek. Don't forget that you can use the leaves in soups, etc. There's nowt wrong with them.

[AlistairMcLennan]

Hi folks,

Thanks for all your replies.  I now need an excuse for the wife of why I have been saving loo rolls for the past 3 months 

Okies, so just need to make the hole with the dibber deep enough and let the soil gradually fill the hole.

 

[allanpilgrim]

I have used toilet rolls to blanch leeks for years it worked fine when we lived in Essex...but in Cornwall the damp soon rotted them away.
It does keep them nice and clean though.

[Sue33]

Hi Alistair,

I tried both methods last year and to be honest there really wasn't any difference, not going to bother this year, hope that helps 

[AlistairMcLennan]

Allan,

Did you use the rolls after the soil had settled round the leek and the leek had grown a bit more or as you are planting out?

[AlistairMcLennan]

Thanks Sue,

You know when you read something then try to remember what you read!!!  I turn 40 in a months time so think I memory us already going  lol

[allanpilgrim]

Allan,

Did you use the rolls after the soil had settled round the leek and the leek had grown a bit more or as you are planting out?

After they settled...