[mark.carline]

My leeks are now around the thickness of a pencil and approx 10" long and I am about to replant them on my allotment in an 8' rasied bed.

I have inherited a dibber made from an old spade handle (so approx 1+1/2 diameter) and I wondered:

- would be ok to use to replant the leeks ?
- how deep should the hole be in the ground ?
- should i trim the roots and green leaves at the top or not ?

thanks in advance

Mark

[madcat]

Yup (that is what mine is made of), 6" and yup (the old hands here have explained why.  Makes them develop a wider root plate and extra leaves - therefore fatter leeks.).

[noshed]

About 4-6" deep, depending how easy it is to get your dibber in. I don't trim but some people do. Don't forget just to water them in, leave the hole open for the leek to grow into and the soil will gradually fill it up.

[tode]

Someone told me you should re-trim the leaves when theyre about 1 ft high (to make the leeks fatter). Anyone do that?

[mark.carline]

.....and yup (the old hands here have explained why.  Makes them develop a wider root plate and extra leaves - therefore fatter leeks.).

ok - how much of the existing roots shall i leave on ?? - 2" or 3" sound ok ? or shall i do less ?

[DD.]

I leave about 1".

[Salmo]

If you leave the roots untrimmed they do not go down the hole easily and end up all twisted up.

Trim the tops enough so that leaves do not curl over and touch the ground when planted. If they do so they will rot or the worms will pull them into the ground, sometimes dragging the leels out of their planting holes.

[madcat]

I leave about 1".

I leave more like 3" - but then I'm a softy and feel all guilty about chopping them at all!     (Even though I know I should and why I should .. )

[DD.]

3" of root would mean the plant doesn't drop to the bottom of the hole!

[madcat]

The roots are floppy; water 'em in and they sit down nice and upright! 

 :blink: Maybe they shouldnt be soft and maliable???