[Pony Girl]

What about leeks? Shall I just sow them straight into the ground?

I've got some of those biodegradable root tuber thingies so would be nice to put them to good use some how.

[DD.]

This is how to do leeks!

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

[Stoatus]

I agree with azubah. I sow 3 seeds in toilet rolls at the end of Feb and plant them over pre-formed holes in March (as soon as the tap root becomes visible), thinning to one per tube later in April. One advantage to this is I am usually rushed off my feet in April so it is good to get them out of the way earlier. Also, if the spring weather is weird (In London we had virtually no rain for 8 weeks) I find that direct sown ones tend not to germinate.

Tried this method with carrots too. Save yourself some time - don't bother!

[Pony Girl]

Thanks, both! 

[savbo]

as an alternative to loo rolls, last year I used 6" Richy pots - bit floppy so they need packing in a biscuit tin or similar, but I got seed leaves out without ever getting a tap root emerge.

ALSO - an old spade handle made a perfect sized dipper for them

My decision to germinate was more about erratic/slow germimation in the ground than getting in early. Was able to plant half a bed of perfectly spaced nips that are coming out well (18"+) without any forking.

[Pony Girl]

What time of year did you sow them, Savbo? And when did you plant them out?

Thanks 

[Pony Girl]

Forgot to ask... what is a Richy pot?? 

[DD.]

One of these:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=11390.0

[savbo]

What time of year did you sow them, Savbo? And when did you plant them out?

Thanks 

referring to the printed version of my phone allotment diary pasted yesterday into my Allotment Book ( )
sowed 15mar, first up by 20th mar, planted out 8th May

[JayG]

The one "F" word I always try and avoid is "Faff".

For the last 8 years that I have kept reasonably detailed records I have sown my parsnips directly into the ground at the very end of March/beginning of April and they have never failed to germinate -  how cold or dry it is affects the speed of germination but I never start pacing nervously up and down until at least 3 weeks have gone by.

Fresh seed, don't let the rows dry out, and you should be OK (and faff-free!)

[DD.]

I'm with Jay - no faffing.

April

One pinch every 8"

Leave

Thin

Job done.

[gobs]

I'm with Jay and DD.

So many seedlings need your very precious, limited indoor space. What can be direct sown, will be direct sown.

Generally, a lot of people seem to be unnecessarily cossetting hardy plants. So, I thought I emphasize this a bit: a lot of veg will start germinating at soil temperatures around 3-5C. (35-45F) While this does not mean, this would be the optimum temperature for best germination for most, all that usually happens, it will take longer on very low soil temperatures, as Jay said.

Such hardy crops are for example: parsnip, lettuce, onion, beets(all sorts), cabbage, radish, turnip, celery, peas.

They will be much stronger, the hardier you grow them. And also more flavoursome, usually.

If your seeds fail to germinate it can mean a few things, most commonly: they are not viable, they are too dry, they are too wet(rotted), something ate them, you are impatient.

Or you forgot to sow them.

PS: Most are also frost proof.

[Pony Girl]

This is how to do leeks!

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

Thanks, DD. I've found a perfect deep tray that's already got holes in the bottom, which was discarded at the side of the road.  I feel like a Womble!!

Just one question: When you say, "When a reasonable size they can be moved outside to grow on." do you mean literally move the tray outside of the polytunnel and wait for the leeks to get the right thickness before putting in their final planting positions?

[Pony Girl]

I'm with Jay - no faffing.

April

One pinch every 8"

Leave

Thin

Job done.

Nice and simple and easy to remember! I like it very much!   Can't wait to get started, roll on spring!


edit to clarify quote

[azubah]

I have had gardeners say to me "just put two parsnip seeds every 8" and pull out the weakest seedling". It just does not work for me! It would save a lot of work if it did.
One year I sowed them in February, and it just happened to be a warm Feb, and they came up very nicely, but that happened only once. Since then they won't germinate in the ground whenever I sow them. I even tried sowing them every 2 weeks for a while. Perhaps they do get eaten. At least if we do them in loo rolls we can see if one disappears, and replace it.