[NN2Blue]

Yeah - i had actualy read up on this previously and from memory there is some who think it a good idea and others that dont.

Personally whilst i dont plant them at pencil thickness they always fatten up and turn out ok so im going to leave them as normal. I may do a short row with trimming them to see if there is any difference in the two with the same growing conditions.

I may very well join you in an experiment!  In that video he is planting out at "wax crayon" rather than "Pencil" stage   . I wonder if I should leave them in the germination box a little longer?

[Salmo]

As an alternative to dibbing holes and planting them you can put a piece of downpipe size pipe over them with the leek plant at ground level.

This is a show technique and ensures that no earth gets in them. It is too fiddly for normal crops.

Do not backfill the pipe. The pipe should never cover more than 2/3rds of the plant. Start with 8 inch pipes and either change them for longer ones or add sections held on with gaffer tape.

If this is done where you sow without transplanting it is quite a relevation how much bigger these are than the same batch dibbed into holes. Transplanting and dibbing check the plants more than we think.