[Geordie]

I'm a first time leek grower. See attached picture of progress so far.

Are they looking ok? It seems ages since I sowed them!

How long will it take now before I can plant them on and any tips for growing in a polytunnel??

Thanks in advance.

Geordie.

[Fisherman]

They look fine. Plant them out when they get as thick as a pencil. The ones in the smaller trays would be better planted up in large pots say 10" to 12". Give them a weekly  liquid feed until you plant them out.

Sorry no polytunnel advice.

[Growster...]

They  seem fine Geordie.

I'd be putting them out pretty soon, so they can benefit from their final site and grow on naturally.

Like Fisherman, I don't know about polytunnels, but as leeks are so forgiving, I wouldn't bother.

Also, the weekly feed (again as Fsherman says), is a great idea, especially if you have somethiong smelly to drench them with...

[Paul Plots]

I find the best tasting leeks are those that have had a good belt of frost. Somehow it seems to sweeten them and intensify the flavour.

They are a tough plant and will withstand bouts of cold autumn and winter weather well.

Keep them watered once you plant them out to give them a chance to develop a good root system.... After that, if the weather is kind, you can sit back (weed a little) and look forward to a good crop. 

[DD.]

I wonder what you mean by ages?

Mine were sown on 1st March - very appropriately St. Davids day - using the cat litter tray method.

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

They are now about 10" high and approaching pencil thickness. They have had not any attention apart from watering.

I'd be tempted to transplant yours into pots or trays to allow them more room to grow a bit before planting out.

[DD.]

Here they are, leeks, cat litter tray & a pencil!

[Growster...]

Those are excellent DD!

I was too late to learn the cat litter tray method, but managed to transplant about 100 into a litter tray later on.

They did take a week or so to estabish, but eventually took over from the unmoved ones by the time I planted them out a few weeks ago, and are now much larger in the ground.

[Geordie]

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

I will be transplanting mine into deeper pots to allow more space for them to develop.

Hopefully they will turn out like DD's

[Paul Plots]

DD I'd just like to know how you can propagate pencils. 

[JohnB47]

Some of mine aren't far off yours DD, whereas another batch that I started earlier are much smaller - bad compost I've belatedly discovered.

One question - when would you folks say is the absolute latest you should be putting leeks out on the allotment?

I'm thinking of transplanting some of my first batch into good compost but I'm wondering if it's too late now.

Cheers.

[Vit]

DD, i wonder, you don't have cat  your leek looks very good.
I got mine from shop as seedlings similar size as yours and planted them few weeks ago.

[DD.]

We have 5 cats!

[DD.]

One question - when would you folks say is the absolute latest you should be putting leeks out on the allotment?

Cheers.

I wouldn't have been bothered if they sat there for another 2 or 3 weeks and bulked up a bit more. It's just that after the recent rain the soil conditions are good for dibbing holes, so rather than wait for the soil to go to dust again - they're going in!

[Paul Plots]

We have 5 cats!

All without litter trays? 

[DD.]

They've got two now - just put the leeks in!