[madcat]

OH uses a bulb planter too; reckons it is less hard work for him and doesn't leave a compacted bottom to the hole for the leek.  Seems to work well.

[nothinghasdiedyet]

Having grown leeks for the last few years I tend to go with the sow and plop in a hole method.

I find that sowing like a leek is similar to grass works so the whole lot in a bucket of about 6" deep compost and then sown into 6" deep holes. I trim the tops and roots as well

I have grown

2008 I grew Musselbrough -Didn't like the results
2009 I grew Castor and have been pleased with the result as you can see from todays earlier post http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=49432.0

This year I plan to grow Mammoth Tornado as they are meant to be excellent for baby leeks

[Beetroot queen]

I know some people may find them easy but we havent, some people on our site cant grow brussels and we grew fantastic ones, others struggle with peas, again we had no problems.

Everyone at some point will have a veg that they struggle with, mine just seems to be leeks, but I will have another go with all the help I have read.

Thanks to all those who helped.

[Sid]

I guess I'm with the same school of thought as cooperman.
I have had a wounderful crop so far and have another lot that I have grown from seed which are pencil size,waiting for the ground to thaw so I can plant out.

Have been lucky? maybe..but I did some research mainly from here and did it my way( no watering in and a little hilling up) thats it .
Keep trying.

[chimaera]

I was going to write a similar note to the OP; this year have a few leeks just large enough to eat from a March sowing of 2 vars, but last year a whole packet of seeds ended in 6 leeks that were so small they all were needed to make one pot of soup after damping off, leek moth, white rot and just not growing all took their toll.

Charlie

[yorky]

I go with the dibbed hole and trimmed roots method. The only other thing I would add to this is that I dip the roots in a bucket of liquid mud before dropping them in the hole. This makes them drop to the bottom like a dart.

[solway cropper]

I like to grow several varieties for a longer season. Zermatt will give you baby leeks from mid July if sown early. I sow these thickly in deep containers and just let them grow. The thinnings can be used like mild spring onions and if you let them get to finger size they are lovely just cooked whole (minus leaves and roots of course)

I still have a row of winter giant in the frozen ground. They average about 2 inches thick with at least 10-12 inches of good white shank. The only growing technique I have is plenty of good muck in spring, drop them in a dibber hole and leave them to it. I do water with home-made seaweed feed every couple of weeks but I'm sure they'd grow without it.

[madcat]

Everyone at some point will have a veg that they struggle with, mine just seems to be leeks, but I will have another go with all the help I have read.

I know what you mean.  My problem veg is carrots ....   But I'm not giving up.   

[noshed]

I love leeks. A tip for washing them is to slice the leek lengthways, but not through the root, just from where the plant starts to split. Do two slices like a cross. Then hold under running water with the root end uppermost, and all the soil will wash out from between the leaves.

[DD.]

That's a cunning plan!

[sunshineband]

And it works 

[Give it a go]

Blimey - what a lot of fuss.  Leeks are a weed and are the easiest veg of the lot to grow.
I always advise newbies to start with these. 

As a newby I was getting worried about growing leeks. Thanks for the advise cooperman

[Beetroot queen]

Everyone at some point will have a veg that they struggle with, mine just seems to be leeks, but I will have another go with all the help I have read.

I know what you mean.  My problem veg is carrots ....   But I'm not giving up.   

Now carrots we have had no problems with, infact the stick em in under enviromesh and leave them alone seemed to work great this time  :happy:

[Sweet Pea 2]

Leeks then.  I was thinking of using a cat litter tray that I ahve seen on here before, do these have holes in, or are no holes needed?  Am I OK to put them in my cold frame now, or am I too late already?

[diggerjoe]

I follow DD's advice and am using cat litter trays from poundland  a bargain