[al78]

As i understand it you are supposed to plant out leeks when they are pencil thickness. The question is, if you start them indoors, what size module do you put them in whilst waiting for them to get to the right size? It seems that whatever I start them in, the roots soon fill the module and then I am concerned about them getting root bound and then stalling. If I were to gradually put them in bigger pots that would make the dibbing process awfully difficult as the root ball would end up much bigger than the hole. What I have done this year is start them in modules then plant out whilst they are still fairly small and let them get to pencil thickness in the ground before lifting them and then putting them deeper in the soil. Is this likely to work? Would it be reasonable next year to sow direct outdoors in late March or April and leave them too it until it is time to transplant into their final position?

[Totty]

The key to good sized leeks is to give good depth. Many on here use cat litter trays or similar, I use the square rose pots. The result is the same.

So, sow into modules if you like, then transplant them deeply into either your deep pots or trays. That's it. They will have a mangled mass of roots when you come to plant out, but you then trim them so they will fit into the dibbed hole nicely. Some will recommend trimming the foliage too, and each to their own. I don't, as I don't see any benefit, and mine do alright.

Totty

[Goosegirl]

I sow mine in a 6" pot and, when they have about 3 good leaves, I pot them into a 9" pot, about 9 to a pot to give them room to develop. When I do this, I water with a dilute liquid feed about a week before, empty the pot and tease them out, trim off any long roots, make a hole with my finger in the new compost and stuff them in, then cover with a bit more compost.

[shedmeister]

I sow my seed into large seed trays the same time as I plant my first early potatoes.
As soon as they are big enough to handle I dib them out into 4" pots, 4 in each using a pencil as a dibber and then stick them outdoors.
Just water when needed in dry conditions.
As soon as my first earlies have been lifted. (yesterday) I plant my leeks into their final growing position.(Today)
Please note that I do not show any of these leeks but they are always a good size for eating from October onwards.

[beesrus]

I don't see why your method shouldn't work. Leeks are quite tough little blighters. I sow mine at home in a flat tray and when I think they need more depth I just tip out the whole tray and insert the slab into the cold greenhouse border for a month or so. They then get pulled up and teased apart and planted out. They're hardy things. The worst problem I have come across is leek moth when outside, so I now cover them for most of their life.
If you don't have a greenhouse, just plant out temporarily in a well insulated ground warmed cloche.

[DD.]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

[al78]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

Thanks for that useful link.

[Growster...]

I always sow seed in a normal seed tray, then when they're the proverbial biro refill size, they go straight in the ground about 8" deep. I don't see why they need to be potted on so much, they seem to thrive very well and won't be disturbed again until they're pulled in late autumn!

The secret really is to feed them well and regularly, with a good liquid feed, preferably weekly, to build up the nutrients in the soil which are then taken down to root level when it rains.

Last year's were the best ever, but in a previous year they began to elongate alarmingly as I planted them out far too soon.

This year's crop went in on Saturday, and they're going to be fed really well as there are only 137, plus a few small 'spares'!

[Spr0ut]

I sow into a deep tray and when they are biro refill thickness, they are transplanted straight into their allotment bed.

[Snoop]

Either that or you could plant them out when they're thinner than pencil thick. Mine go out when they have maybe only two or three leaves. Bob them in 15 to 20 cm deep and they survive well. Out of 50 I put in a few weeks ago, I've lost just one and that was to a dog's paw. They're now about thin stick of rock size.

[Totty]

The benefit to potting on before planting out, is that it enables the plant be planted deep. Each time the leek is dibbed into a hole, or blanched above ground, it draws the heart of the plant up higher in search for light. This will give longer plants to stick on the plot which means you have more leek to bury-which leads to a longer tender blanched stem.

Totty

[Growster...]

As I said earlier, if the hole for the dibbled leek is - say - 8", you can easily pop in a leek which is nowhere near that length, and water it in.

There's no need to keep changing them from seed compost to another medium; just let them grow upward and onward naturally, and don't interrupt the growing cycle too much! They'll soon emerge above ground level - that's what they're programmed to do!

We've always done this and never have a problem! Last year, out of 212 leeks, we lost about a dozen, because of slugs, or birds (pheasants, pigeons, vultures). About half were above ground when they went in.

[Robster]

I'm with Growster.  Sow thickly in a seed bed in Feb.  Wait and plant out in June whatever size they are as deep as you fancy.  No need to mess about.

[Snoop]

As I said earlier, if the hole for the dibbled leek is - say - 8", you can easily pop in a leek which is nowhere near that lLast year, out of 212 leeks, we lost about a dozen, because of slugs, or birds (pheasants, pigeons, vultures). About half were above ground when they went in.

Vultures eat leeks!? Puts flying rats into perspective.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. Mine aren't buried underground when I plant them out, but I do wonder sometimes, as there's occasionally only a little bit showing.

[JohnB47]

Another little tip - when planting in dibbed holes, swish each plants roots in a bucket of water then lift vertically. The roots will hang in a slim line that will make them easier to insert in the hole.