[Sideways]

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

DD- Im going to give your 'tray method' a go as soon as I get home, its not too late to start now is it? I have a number of leeks seeds through in seperate pots but was planning to start more off, your method looks fine and I have a suitable tray.

Have I left it a bit late to start off leeks?

[DD.]

Anything reasonably deep will do, I just drop a seed in every inch. Get 9 x 12 in a Wilco cat litter tray. £1 lasts for years.

As regards stinginess, my cats are currently in the kitchen, legs crossed, with a pained look on their faces, wondering where their tray is!

[Lee G]

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.   

No problem, I was only joking.  Anyway, my stinginess is now legendary, and not just on here 

[Lee G]

Have I left it a bit late to start off leeks?

Not at all, I hadn't even bought a packet this time last year and I got some whoppers, and still a fair few in the ground.

I sowed direct into a finely raked seed bed at the plot, probably late May, then transplanted them July/August time.

[Sideways]

Thanks Lee.

[Salmo]

I have just planted my leeks direct into the ground. I have mixed them with red spring onions with the plan to pull the spring onions and then transplant the leeks to their final bed in July.