[Dai]

Hi all, again.
I sowed three types of leeks on the 20th of March and stuck them in the coldframe but they seem to have slowed right down and just look like blades of grass at the moment. Im eager to see them growing to pencil size so i can plant them on the plot and im thinking about giving them a feed but Im not sure what to feed them with.
I was thinking about sprinkling some BF&B on top of the soil and watering it in but as I said Im really not sure.
Thanks.

[mumofstig]

I gave mine a liquid feed a couple of days ago - it's better to scratch BF&B into the surface, and my leeks are too close together to do that.

[Beetroot queen]

Leeks are very slow but at least you have blades of grass I have ........ Well let's not go there 

[Dai]

Sorry to hear that beetroot queen but if its any consolation my beetroot seems to be taking forever to germinate (hope ive not drowned them too much and they have rotted)

Which liquid feed would be recommended mum? I have some Tomamtorite they could have, would that do? Im also seeing green on the surface of the soil (im guessing its mold or something?) so im thinking its the cheapo seed compost i bought (the compost is very dark, almost black)

[mumofstig]

any liquid feed would do - I have some of the cheapo tom feed from Poundland, left over from last year, so I'm using that 

[pdblake]

I fed mine with comfrey tea but still have blades of grass. There's plenty of time for them to bulk up. I never do get them pencil thickness and I don't see many others who do either

[sowitgrowit]

I never do get them pencil thickness and I don't see many others who do either

They don't come to any harm planted out then, if they don't reach the fabled "pencil" size?

I read on Twitter that someone was planting theirs out a few weeks ago! I was planning for next month, after I lift the overwintered onions.

[pdblake]

I'm planning back end of June when I (I hope) get to lift the early spuds, though I might bung a few in before then.

ETA: Just had a check and last year I planted them out last week in May, but then I wasn't waiting on spuds last year

[gavinjconway]

I got tired of waiting so planted all mine last weekend.. They were matchstick to a bit smaller in thickness.. They just gotta fend for themselves now!!

[finleyfreyaseth]

i sowed mine in a corrugated box 18inx 12in by 12in deep scattered a packet and left them to grow got them too matchstick thickness so now there out down the edges were my peas are and were my rhubarb and gooseberry bed is maybe got about 70 in there just an experiment to see ow they do got a small bed earmarked for a later seed planting

[Dai]

Well its nice to hear others opinions and ways of doing things. I dont feel as anxious now.
Whats the latest time i can wait to put them in the ground?

[sowitgrowit]

I got tired of waiting so planted all mine last weekend.. They were matchstick to a bit smaller in thickness.. They just gotta fend for themselves now!!

Good to hear. I would worry about bthem at that size, but if its tried and tested I might go for it. 

If it works, and its obviously better outside than in a pot, why wait at all?  Is there a higher mortality rate amongst young leeks?

[Auntiemogs]

Whats the latest time i can wait to put them in the ground?

Mmmm...I'd be interested in knowing that too Dai.  Was hoping to put them in after my overwintered onions but if that's too late I may have to jiggle things about a bit.....

[gavinjconway]

I got tired of waiting so planted all mine last weekend.. They were matchstick to a bit smaller in thickness.. They just gotta fend for themselves now!!

Good to hear. I would worry about bthem at that size, but if its tried and tested I might go for it. 

If it works, and its obviously better outside than in a pot, why wait at all?  Is there a higher mortality rate amongst young leeks?

last year I did the same and they all survived... 

[sowitgrowit]

I got tired of waiting so planted all mine last weekend.. They were matchstick to a bit smaller in thickness.. They just gotta fend for themselves now!!

Good to hear. I would worry about bthem at that size, but if its tried and tested I might go for it. 

If it works, and its obviously better outside than in a pot, why wait at all?  Is there a higher mortality rate amongst young leeks?

last year I did the same and they all survived... 

Excellent, just need to decide whether to wait for the onions to be up or not, now!

Might get them in between the onions, and harvest the onions as the leeks grow