From little biros..........................

We had a bit of fun here back in May competing for the title of the most pathetic leek seedlings!

The idea apparently is to plant them outside when they achieve "pencil thickness", so I'm still going to claim the credit for describing mine as "biro-refill thickness!" 

Can't claim any great skill at all for how they've eventually turned out; as a first-time leek grower I'd just like to say you're never too old or "experienced" to not sometimes be thrilled at how things turn out!    (Oh yes, the parsnips have done well also; although it's not in DD's league I'm not sure that bigger is always better when it comes to eating it!)

Well Done to you JG.
Both are quality produce.

Well done JayG! Our first year of parsnips too, with what appears to be reasonable success although i'm trying to leave them in the ground until the fourth Friday in December , as you say you never lose the thrill of a new crop working for you.

They look brill, I tried growing leeks aswell for the first time this year, and like you mine never reached pencil thickness until planted out But mine are no where near as big or good as yours.

What's your secret JayG?, my leek seedlings  are like yours when they are planted out but only reach the 'biro' stage by now!!

Well done on the Parsnips!

As a leek newbie I can't claim to have discovered any secrets about growing them!

I planted them out in the traditional 6" dibbed holes and watered them in at the beginning of June. I then waved a finger at them and issued the traditional "that's it, it's up to you now. You've got two choices!" warning and left them to it!

A couple of feeds of dried chicken poo, careful weeding making sure I didn't scatter any soil between the leaves, and the occasional watering was the only additional care they got.

(Oh, I did plant some of them "a la Monty Don"; 3 or 4 per planting hole - they're OK but not as big as the single ones needless to say. Whether the yield per planting hole is better or worse I can't really say at the moment.)

As for the parsnips, they have performed much better since my discovery a few years ago that sandy soil can be nutrient-deficient for veg and although parsnips will fork in newly-manured ground that doesn't mean they will flourish if half starved to death!

JayG:Oh, I did plant some of them "a la Monty Don"; 3 or 4 per planting hole - they're OK but not as big as the single ones needless to say. Whether the yield per planting hole is better or worse I can't really say at the moment.)

How did they do?...........would you do them this way again?

Something for me to try next year then.......ta very muchly