[mumofstig]

at least you got something then 

[Robster]

I have always grown Musselburgh.  Pretty much the same way as Mum.  I sow in trays in the spring and prick out and grow on until the first early spuds are out and then plant out over a month or so starting from mid summer.  All go pretty well.  Not growing first earlies in the ground this year so a new system needed

[Growster...]

Just took a couple of the inch-thick ones today, even though they'd started to go to seed.

Cut out the hard core stem bit, and steamed the cut-off pieces, and they were absolutely delicious!

Leeks are the most obliging veg you can grow. They do everything you want from onion flavour, through to soup-stiffening and general greenery in winter.

Mrs G did a calabrese/leek/cheesy thing over the weekend, and there was far too miuch left over, so we kept it and it was fantastic with a little pasta and a bit of grated cheese!

Who cares about how 'big' they are - leave that sort of tat to the tabloids...;0)

[Nicki85]

Mine were all munched by leek moth!  Going to have to net this year as I love leeks.  Does seem to be that I spend half my time (and money) trying to protect my crop from some sort of pest 

[gobs]

Mine were all munched by leek moth!  Going to have to net this year as I love leeks.  Does seem to be that I spend half my time (and money) trying to protect my crop from some sort of pest 

You are not alone. I know, it doesn't help.

[hubballi]

I pulled them out the soil and put them in last years potato bags full of old compost. I will feed them with chicken manure. I would have fed them earlier but I posted a while ago about feeding veg with chicken manure and was advised against it because it would make things tender and prone to frost.

[gobs]

You can't leave things alone. pulling leeks up now, I donno. You could have been chattering on here instead.

[hubballi]

You can't leave things alone. pulling leeks up now, I donno. You could have been chattering on here instead.

 

[JayG]

Hubballi - I suspect the advice not to feed was because it was too late in the year to do so without the problems you mention.

If I understand your post correctly, you are trying to grow your existing leeks on in bags of compost with added chicken manure - as has already been advised in another thread of yours they will almost certainly just run to seed when it is warm enough for them to start growing again.

Far better to start again from scratch this year -  if you get your timings and feeding right you should have a much better outcome!

[hubballi]

I haven't fed them yet. If I leave them until spring will they not get any bigger ? If not, I will pull them up and use them now.

[gazza975526570]

Mine have been of varying sizes this year - only problem is when i cut them they dont seem firm enough and are falling apart - as such most have had to be used for soup but thats not a massive problem. Dont know why they went like this - never have done before.

Off to get another load shortly for a huge batch of soup

[gobs]

You can't leave things alone. pulling leeks up now, I donno. You could have been chattering on here instead.

 

I know, I know. But don't pull them about that much next year.

[hubballi]

You can't leave things alone. pulling leeks up now, I donno. You could have been chattering on here instead.

 

I know, I know. But don't pull them about that much next year.

That's a shame, can't I pull them up to take on days out ?

[hubballi]

They are still in the ground and no bigger 

[mumofstig]

same as mine -you're not eating them til winter and they've plenty of time to grow