[Beetroot queen]

Two years running we have tried Leeks, once at home and once up the plot, both times all we get are leeks the size of straws. LOL

I need an a b c guide to growing them 

[realfood]

Sow in deep boxes in January or February in a cool greenhouse or frame, and grow them on in cool conditions, and keep well watered. During April move the box outside to harden off. When the Leek seedlings are about 30 cm tall, they are ready to transplant into a deep, fertile bed. Use a dibber to prepare individual 20 cm deep holes, 20 cm apart, with the rows about 30 cm  apart. Take the individual well grown seedlings and place at the bottom of the holes. Do not backfill the holes with soil. Instead with a watering can, fill the holes up with water. This dislodges enough soil to anchor the seedling to the bottom of the holes. Contrary to some advice, it is quite unnecessary to trim the tops or the roots, which only serves to check the growth.

Keep the Leeks weed free and well watered in dry conditions. It is possible to blanche the stems of the Leeks by drawing up the soil around the Leeks. Most people do not bother to do this as there is a big risk of getting soil in between the leaves of the Leek which makes it more difficult to prepare for eating.

The most likely problems are not enough feeding and watering over a long period.

[DD.]

Contrary to some advice, it is quite unnecessary to trim the tops or the roots, which only serves to check the growth.

That, of course, is your opinion and not neccessarily a fact. The other school of thought is that by trimming the roots, the leek drops to the bottom of the hole & trimming the leaves reduces transpiration whilst the plant establishes itself.

This is how I do it, I find March plenty early enough.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.msg312300#msg312300

[DavidT]

I`m going to side with Realfood here, I`ve grown them trimmed and untrimmed with very little difference in growth habit.

[Trillium]

A lot of tests have been done with trimming and not trimming leek roots and the results prove that there's really no difference.

What really matters is how rich your soil is. Leeks are part of the onion family which are notoriously hungry feeders, so the soil should be well fed for them. And watered regularly as well as hilled up early to get those lovely white parts. It also helps to start them reasonably early, like begining of March or even end of February.

[DavidT]

The idea of planting them in 6" deep holes is so that you don`t have to earth them up to blanch them. If you wish to extend the blanch without getting soil in the leaves, then use corrigated cardboard.

[Beetroot queen]

okay I think I am following now, any particular leek seed I am looking for 

[Elcie]

I have been pleased with my leeks this year, whilst they are no where near supermarket size they have been much better than last year and there is more white than green!  To  increase the size I think I will plant earlier this year, perhaps February using DDs method.  To get more white I dibbed a hole and dropped the leek in and filled with water, as suggested above.  When the leeks had settled in I then popped a cardboard toilet roll tube over the leek.  These worked great for me and I am saving the rolls as we speak!

[DD.]

okay I think I am following now, any particular leek seed I am looking for 

As you're after larger ones, it appears, how about something like Winter Giant 3 from Moles Seeds, £2.25 for 1000 seed - no post to pay. They'll do you a few years with careful  storage or share them.

Moles

Alan Roman does a "Giant" one for 50p for 275 seed, but there's 99p postage. Would not be too bad if ordering other seed at the same time.

[Beetroot queen]

okay I think I am following now, any particular leek seed I am looking for 

As you're after larger ones, it appears, how about something like Winter Giant 3 from Moles Seeds, £2.25 for 1000 seed - no post to pay. They'll do you a few years with careful  storage or share them.

Moles

Alan Roman does a "Giant" one for 50p for 275 seed, but there's 99p postage. Would not be too bad if ordering other seed at the same time.

well any size bigger than a straw and I would be happy, dont want to be greedy hehe 

will take a look at moles. Thanks everyone for the help

[Babstreefern]

My first year of planting my leeks, I dug the proverbial hole and watered in my leeks, and got a good crop.  The following year, I put in my leek and planted them as an ordinary plant, ie, I didn't put them in a hole, and still I got a good crop.  Also, I have never trimmed roots, but the only thing I do is in the height of summer and after, I always cut/snap off the "seed" stem, the one with a bulbous top.

Other than that, I've always had good crops - keeping fingers crossed, I get a good crop this year.

[DD.]

Is that the summer of the year your planted them or the summer after?

You shouldn't really get flowers so soon if it's the first summer, if it's the second, the leeks should be well out of the ground.

[cooperman]

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. 

The advice given here about preparing the plot is the biggee, do that right and you will always get a good crop.  I have never ever started my leeks off early indoors, complete waste of time unless you are growing for competition.  Prepare a seedbed, pull out a drill, sprinkle the seeds along and stand back and watch 'em grow.  Once the seedlings are about pencil thick or thereabouts (dont get your calipers out do it by eye!!) Thin out and transplant to the prepared bed, wider spacing gives bigger plants. I always do a bit of both, I like baby leeks which are ideal for roasting with sweet peppers.  As for planting into dibber holes and just watering in -  its been found there is no difference - the world renowned veg grower Medwyn Williams always just plants his leeks and earths them up, as for me (not being world renowned) I plant into dibber holes as i've always done....

Proof of the Pudding - I've been over the lottie today and pulled a few (frosty!) leeks, all were about 2" thick and about 12/15" long (plus the leaves!)

[DD.]

Blimey - what a lot of fuss.  Leeks are a weed and are the easiest veg of the lot to grow.

Cooperman - it is evident that not everyone thinks so, hence why we have this thread and others like it. There is no need for you to get on you high horse.

The OP has come here for advice, instead of stumbling along, and people have been good enough to share how they go about it. As usual they is more than one way to "skin a cat" when it comes to gardening and BQ can make her own informed choice.

Thank you for sharing your method.

[zazen999]

One trick I used last year and it seems to have worked; is instead of dibbing into holes - I use a bulb planter to get a deep hole [I have a dodgy elbow so try to minimise straining it and dibbing wasn't working for me in my thick clay].......and sometimes I use my thumb and forefinger to pinch the roots out, sometimes I don't.....but the bulb planter worked as when you put the soil back, it goes inbetween each plant and is slowly washed back in the hole to blanch.

I like my leeks 1-2 inches wide; any more and I feel that they lose flavour. I grow lots of them - and use several different types to extend the harvest.

All alliums seem to benefit from being moved at some point, I find.