[Kristen]

Does anyone bother with leeks in trenches these days? (so they can be earthed up to get a longer blanched shank)

Always seems a pity to me the wastage on a leek (well, wastage on preparation of any vegetable during the "kitchen" phase ... celeriac are a prime example ... although I console myself with the amount of material that goes back to the compost heap )

I wondered whether a double row, in a trench, and earthed up would, maybe, double? the blanched length?

[Trillium]

I tried John's idea here and it worked, but I couldn't dib a deep enough hole where I grew my leeks.

http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment-tips/planting-leeks.php

This year I plan to do a proper trench planting of leeks to maximize the white area and the leeks will be in a different, deeper area. Unfortunately the whole season is devoted to that row of crop but well worth it in the end.
To compensate, I stored my pulled leeks with roots intact in a tall storage bucket which is still in my cold, dark garage and surprisingly the leeks have blanched nicely along most of their length. So, some laziness will pay off  :happy:

[mikem]

I use the insides of toilet rolls to put over the leeks when they are reasonably sturdy and that blanches mine without the problem of getting soil/grit in between the leaves. 

On a different subject but still to do with trenches I intend to dig a trench and sieve in soil for my carrots and parsnips so that they don't split when they hit stones - however I decided that I would do that last year but never got round to it!

[Kristen]

Thanks Trillium, John's-way is what I have always done - although he plants his much further apart than I do (8" I think his video said)

New Years Resolution - find an old bit of 2" x 2" and make some saw-cuts on it for planting distances. Might get a straighter row too!

I use the insides of toilet rolls to put over the leeks when they are reasonably sturdy and that blanches mine without the problem of getting soil/grit in between the leaves. 

I prefer the sound of that.  I'll try it and report back. It will also mean I'm not constrained to just a double row within a trench (my beds are raised, and 4' wide)

On a different subject but still to do with trenches I intend to dig a trench and sieve in soil for my carrots and parsnips so that they don't split when they hit stones - however I decided that I would do that last year but never got round to it!

I make holes with a bulb planter (I go down 12" or more) and back-fill with "fine soil". That might be a bit less work than sieving the whole bed?!

[paintedlady]

I make holes with a bulb planter (I go down 12" or more) and back-fill with "fine soil". That might be a bit less work than sieving the whole bed?!

First time growing leeks on the big plot this year - during the dry spell, the heavy clay was rock hard so I resorted to using a bulb planter and getting as deep as I could (possibly 10 inch), filled up with damp compost before driving a dibber in and dropping the leeklets in the hole and then watered in.  Best leeks I've ever grown with amazing long white shafts.  Seemed to be twice as much work than I'd like, but no gritty bits to worry about 

[Kristen]

I also had a problem with the dry period we had Apr-June; my bed had been rotavated in the Spring and it was so dry that the dibber-holes collapsed and filled up as soon as I made them - I had to drench the bed and leave it for 24 hours to be able to make the dibber holes! but the dibber did then go in a long way

[Zippy]

If your trenches are leaking try lining them with plastic.

I'm sorry, it's late and I couldn't resist!  OK, goodnight!

[Totty]

With long white stems the aim, am i right in thinking that the deeper you plant them in the first place the better? whats the best way to sow them, and optimum size for transplanting into holes?

[Yorkie]

@ Totty, here is DD's famous (infamous  ) cat litter tray leek thread, which suggests how to start leeks off from seed and subsequent planting out:
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

[kenny199]

I always do my leeks in trenches.Grandad told me to nigh on fifty years ago and I would not go dare goagainst his word

[Mash Mad]

You could use drain pipes cut to the right length to blanch the leeks... ive not done this myself yet but will proberly this year.

People who grow leeks for showing normaly use this method to get really nice/clean white stems pic below...       

[Kristen]

Thanks all. I've decided on traditional dibber-holes as I have always done (there is a limit to how deep they can be, based on how tall the transplants are at the time), but I will then use some sorts of collars to blanch them as they grow - that, I reckon, has the added benefit that that part of the Leek's neck is not in the soil, so won't get "gritty"

[Stoatus]

>I use the insides of toilet rolls to put over the leeks when they are reasonably sturdy and that blanches mine without the problem of getting soil/grit in between the leaves.

I prefer the sound of that.  I'll try it and report back. It will also mean I'm not constrained to just a double row within a trench (my beds are raised, and 4' wide)

Do - it works a treat! I put one toilet roll on when they are still fairly small and another above it when they have grown a bit. That way you get lots of extra blanched stem

[peapod]

Ive also seen pringles tubs used

[Jono]

I dib mine, but I did work on a farm in France one summer and one of my jobs was to dig the leek trench. I wasn't there long enough to see the results, but I did see pictures of their leeks and I've got to admit they were absolutely massive!