[philskin]

Im sorry if this as been asked before ,but my leeks have been started in 6" paper tubes now im ready to plant them but what do i do .Shall i dig a trench 6" deep and just cover them up or make individual holes and put them in till the paper is covered heres a pic

 

[mumofstig]

Think you need to harden them off and grow them on outside till they're a bit bigger. They are usually planted into individual holes:-

With leeks a good rule of thumb is to get the seedling about as thick as a pencil. Dib a hole about six inches deep using something like a spade handle and drop the seedling in. Water well and allow the soil to fall back in naturally over time.

As they're in paper pots it's abit difficult cos you need to plant the bottom of the stem where the roots start at about 6in deep. I'd be inclined to take them out of their pots and do them the traditional way.

[philskin]

thanks will do that then ,so basically i need to harden them of and take the paper off them and bury them in individual holes

[ravenaround]

When did you plant those leeks as mine are only just coming through and only 30% of them after 3 weeks...

[mumofstig]

Take them out of their pots shake most of the soil off, or even rinse off, dibble a hole about spade handle width , six inches deep, drop leek in and water in ...don't backfill hole with soil the watering settles enough soil over the roots. Leeks will grow up and out to fill hole. You are planting them deep to blanch the stems as they grow they don't need the soil up around their stems to grow.... though some soil will settle arround plant over time that's ok.

[noshed]

Good advice from MOS. Sounds a bit mad but it works. Leave them outside now for a week or so to harden off and get a bit bigger. You could just chuck them in a bucket of water when you're ready to plant them out, it makes it a bit easier to disentangle them.

[philskin]

thats brilliant thanks i will wait till there bigger then ,and i think these are about 6 weeks old

[Riala]

Do you really mean a proper spade... their handles are like 2inchs thick!! (ish)

And you just leave them in a big hole like that when they are only pencil thick themselves?

[DD.]

Do you really mean a proper spade... their handles are like 2inchs thick!! (ish)

And you just leave them in a big hole like that when they are only pencil thick themselves?

Yes - and they are not quite that thick!

The hole is a bit over 1" across, drop 'em in, water them in, that's it. Leeks are very simple to grow.

Phil, sorry to say it, but you've made a lot of unneccesary work for yourself. They don't need to be in individual pots, you can get a lot in a deep tray, (I get 96 to one tray).

You've obviously missed my method, which is posted under Useful Topics int GYO stickies.

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

[mumofstig]

as an after thought i'd better mention that i don't transplant my leeks for ages yet....cos they go in the potato bed, after the new spuds are lifted.

[Lee G]

Do you really mean a proper spade... their handles are like 2inchs thick!! (ish)

And you just leave them in a big hole like that when they are only pencil thick themselves?

Yes - and they are not quite that thick!

The hole is a bit over 1" across, drop 'em in, water them in, that's it. Leeks are very simple to grow.

Phil, sorry to say it, but you've made a lot of unneccesary work for yourself. They don't need to be in individual pots, you can get a lot in a deep tray, (I get 96 to one tray).

You've obviously missed my method, which is posted under Useful Topics int GYO stickies.

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

I keep looking for cat litter trays on freecycle, too tight to buy a new one just for my leeks.  I'm currently using some old mushroom containers which seem to be working okay - until a wild rabbit started nibbling on them the other week, reduced hald of them to tiny little stumps!!  But I checked them this morning and they are starting to grow again, so I should be able to save them.

I still have loads left in the ground at the plot, (including one that is looking like a real monster  :happy: ) how long can I leave them in before they go to seed?  And what likes to follow them in the ground?

[mumofstig]

I'm currently using some old mushroom containers

I use these cos i don't grow as many as DD and they're great...i just leave them in there till i transplant after spuds   I'm lucky there're no rabbits and the slugs don't bother them either

[Riala]

Cat trays are only £1 - £2!!

Wilko's, Poundshops, Charity shops.

[Lee G]

Cat trays are only £1 - £2!!

Wilko's, Poundshops, Charity shops.

Thanks for highlighting my stinginess 

 

[Riala]

EEeek.. sorry!  That was not my intention, I thought maybe you had only seen them for sale in places like pet shops or the large pet stores where they sell for £7.99+

Sorry, my bad.