[superluke2]

Some of my leeks last year didn't get as far as I hoped. They are pencil size at the minute. If I leave them will they continue to grow or should I pull them as baby leeks?

[mumofstig]

I'd pull them soon...if you leave them much longer they will just run to seed

[solway cropper]

When did you sow them? they need quite a long growing season. I'll be sowing some in the unheated greenhouse within the next few weeks and they could well be still in the ground this time next year.

[cooperman]

as in previous replies several scenarios:
Planted too late
Failed to thin or plant at correct distance

There are many varieties of Leek which cover a long cropping season, you can sow Musselburgh as early a January (under glass)

I have a Leek crop from which I am still pulling from - and have been for the last two months.....

So the moral is, check which variety seed youve got, get 'em in early and transplant into final position once they are about pencil thickness.  To be honest Leeks are probably THE easiest crop you'll ever grow....

[superluke2]

I planted them last march   they were slow to germinate and slow to grow for what ever reason. Transplanted in aug last year and havn't realy moved since!

[andtiggertoo]

superluke my leeks are exactly the same so glad you asked this.  The year before (my first growing veg) they were really good and seemed really easy to grow. So I was really disappointed last year.

Hopefully the ones i'm about to sow will do better. I have bought Autumn mammoth 2 - snowstar. The packet says they can be sown indoors jan-feb and outdoors march to april. Hoping the wise sages on here will advise which I should go for.

I am in west yorkshire and have a mini low polytunnel which I'm going to use to warm up my potatoe bed and also pop under early seedlings in pots.  I also have rootrainers for leeks and beans which I used last year, was going to use them again this year.

[DD.]

Don't know if this will help!

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

[mumofstig]

Quick on the draw there DD 

[DD.]

Never waste an opportunity!

Thought of posting them in the "Where am I thread".

[andtiggertoo]

Thanks DD I forgot about that tip.

I have an Ikea plastic drawer that might do it's 4" deep. I could put that under the mini polytunnel instead of the cold greenhouse suggested in the link, and save the root trainers for my peas and beans.

[Cazzy]

I picked up a couple of litter trays from the pound shop,  much cheaper than the supermarkets.

Leeks are sown and my fingers are crossed, this will be my third attempt, first two failled miserably but i'm sure it was me putting them out too late.

[enrich100]

I must be lucky I have never had any problems with growing leeks

[andtiggertoo]

OK just finished setting upon Ikea tray with drill, so now have a deep tray for leeks. Will sow them today. Just wondering if it's too early to germinate them under my mini polytunnel outside, or whether to keep them indoors and harden off. Also do any of you cover them indoors as suggested on the seed packet.

thanks

[superluke2]

Thanks for that idea DD. Last year I seeded direct into the soil. I maybe get them to move qucker in a ,'litter tray'.  Do you let them get to 'pencil 'size before moving or 'grass' thickness.
thanks in advance

[DD.]

Perhaps not quite as big as pencil size, but certainly a lot stouter than grass!