[muntjac]

tubes around the leeks just blanches them  

[sweet nasturtium]

I like this, back to swift replies on the grow your own.  
Munty, it's been hard.

[John]

Problem is that nitrogen particularly washes out of soil so this very wet year hasn't helped anything. Manure applied in autumn will only have about 10% of the initial nitrogen left by spring.

If you've got leeks looking a bit thin, then a little feed may well boost them but they'll be slow growing so keep the level low.

[mushroom]

Problem is that nitrogen particularly washes out of soil so this very wet year hasn't helped anything. Manure applied in autumn will only have about 10% of the initial nitrogen left by spring.

yeah was kind of thinking this. Saying that, it's been a very dry November down here.

If you've got leeks looking a bit thin, then a little feed may well boost them but they'll be slow growing so keep the level low.

My bad - i'm impatient... :oops: they've only been in since September. I keep forgetting they are in an 8 inch hole, so considering they're 4 inches tall they're really quite large!  

[John]

My bad - i'm impatient... :oops: they've only been in since September. I keep forgetting they are in an 8 inch hole, so considering they're 4 inches tall they're really quite large!  

Large leeks don't taste any better than small ones -  

[mushroom]

This is true. But mine are rather slender right now, i could use em all in a meal for 2. :oops: - the local advice was to keep em in till around March.

[John]

They should be OK until March but generally I'd say plant more and enjoy from small to large. Little thin leeks - scarcely bigger than spring onions - work well in stir fries.