[Pompey Spud]

Hi Gang

My leek seedlings are coming on a treat.

How big do they need to get before planting out?

Cheers
PUP

[Sir Growalot]

Hi Pompey Spud. how thickly have you planted them? I usually pot on to a larger pot when they are about 6" tall and chop the top half of the plant off which encourages them to grow. I  leave mine in the pots until they are as thick as a pencil before putting them in the ground. Works for me.

[Trillium]

I don't wait as long as Sir G.  When they're at least 4" tall (10cm) and easy enough to handle, I put them out. The roots are still small enough that it's easier for them to spread in their final trench. I try to have them in ground a min. of 30 days before solstice, preferably 60 days.

[DD.]

Oh good - another chance to post my trusted method, (from a previous post)....

Now this might seem a bit painstaking, but I find it well worth the effort......

As I said I use cat litter trays, as they are nice & deep,be sure to make holes in the bottom though - a hot skewer will do the job. I use compost from grow bags, as it seems one of the cheaper ways to buy it.

Now here's the painstaking bit, (not as bad as it sounds, actually), I plant the seed individually 1" apart 1/2 deep. That way they don't crowd each other out. I get nearly 100% germination in the green house. One of these trays will produce 96 plants. Compost has to be kept moist. When a reasonable size they can be moved outside to grow on. I then transplant when they are the thickness of a pencil.

The plants therefore only get disturbed once.

[compostqueen]

I leave em til they're thick as a pencil too which might be a month later than most are planting them out

[Boothy]

oh no - planted mine out last weekend and they're not much thicker than pencil lead - will the be ok? - looking a bit floppy

[Trillium]

They'll grow, boothy. Mine always do and they're about the size of yours to begin with.

[Ruby Red]

Funnily enough, I sowed Leek seeds in a pot and then 3 weeks ago I transplanted some into individual pot. The ones that were left in the original pot are slightly thicker than the transplanted ones. Just goes to show.

[nipper31]

I had to chuck all my leek seedlings away  :cry:  They were growing in loo rolls but went a bit smell and mouldy. Hope it's not too late to sow another couple of batches, but this time I'll try a different type of container...

[Eristic]

Here's how I do mine.

Seeds sown in a standard 3 and a bit pot.


Seedlings transplanted to recycled polystyrene boxes.


Transplants moved to nursery rows outside to grow on till there is space available for them to be moved to their final positions.