[pippin]

Sun, 17th January 2010
Hello All,
It was my first time growing leeks,in fact my first year of allotment growing. Although My leeks seemed  to be growing well they have turned out a bit sort of ’squidgy’ and not particularly thick. they kind of feel like the layers are not as tightly packed together as I would expect. I haven't eaten one yet so not sure if the flavour is affected. I am wondering if my heavy clay soil has something to do with it? I would like to try again this year, what can I do to get better results?
Also one of them has had the green leafy bit gnawed off by something. I don’t think it was slugs as the soil around the base looked slightly dug or scratched away.Despite this it was still standing and seems to have re-grown now. It’s a mystery made all the more strange by only one leek being affected?? Any ideas?   :blink:
Thanks, Charlie

[Pompey Spud]

You might have grown a variety that doesn't stand well ie an early variety that needs to harvested in the Autumn?

Like spuds, various varieties of leeks need a longer period of growth  or, stand out better in harsh weather.

Could of been a number of animals ie Badger or, Fox. Mammals get desperate in these harsh conditions and will try anything.

[8doubles]

I would say the squidgy leeks were caused by frost damage . I`m suprised they stand up at all with the weather we have been getting, it`s even blown some of the stalks on the broccoli.
As Pompey Spud said  planting a harder variety may be the answer.

[pippin]

I don't think it was down to the weather as I tried harvesting one ages ago way before the harsh weather set in and it was the same. Because of my lack of experience I thought it was too early and not fully developed. The type is Mussleborough which I think is winter hardy.

Thanks for the animal suggestions,I hadn't thought about badgers and foxes, only mice and pigeons!

[DD.]

Musselburgh should have stood it.

When/how did you raise them? When/how did you plant them out?

[pippin]

I raised them in modules at home, planted them into dibber holes through newspaper to keep down weeds (as instructed in my allotment book) used toilet roll tubes to blanch the stems. I can't remember exactly when I planted out but admittedly they seemed a bit thinner than the advised pencil thickness but I remember that they seemed not to be thickening up and I was worried that the module was too small for them. Perhaps I should have transplanted them into pots for a while before planting on the allotment?

[DD.]

They could have been a bit too weak.

Personally I don't go in for all this faffing about with newspaper, toilet rolls etc. A good deep dibbed hole is all they need.

Apart from which I grow about 400 leeks and not even our family get through that amount of toilet roll each year.

Here's how I raise my seedlings from a March sowing, now infamous:

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

[pippin]

Thanks for the link Dave - really helpfull. My leeks were no where near as developed when I transplanted them so that's probably the problem. I shall try again using your method although I might find a smaller container as I don't need so many! Unless I can start my Ailsa Craig onions in the same box, or do I have to fiddle around starting those in toilet rolls again like last year which seemed to work?

[DD.]

You can down size to suit and personally I wouldn't try two different crops, albeit from the family in the same container.

If you found something that worked for you, I'd stick to it!