[DD.]

I think it would be much easier to grow some in deep pots filled with finely sieved compost.

[chile_paul]

Thelast 2 years I've grown Leeks (Musselburgh) they've ended up disappointingly small (thin). Vary rarely thicker than finger or if I'm lucky thumb thick.

Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

This year I started some off much earlier (end of Jan) to try extending the growing season so hopefully this will help!

[JayG]

Too crowded? Half starved?

Don't know how late you planted them out, but they are many people's choice to follow first early potatoes, which for many is about the end of June (also depends how big they were when planted out of course - some have trouble getting them to "pencil thickness"!)

[sunshineband]

I find I have to feed mine in their cat tray to get them to pencil thickness. The year I grew them in a seed bed they did bulk up better, but I like the cat tray method as it saves ground space at a time I need it for other crops.

And they get another feed of BFB when I plant them out.

Planted a ten/twelve inches apart

Seems to do the job for most of them

[Milly]

I read that it's not a good idea to plant them immediately after lifting early potatoes because the soil will be too loose and disturbed and leeks do better on a firm soil. 

[DD.]

Never heard that!

Nice loose soil, (just damp) = nice deep dibbed hole.

[Jomtie]

I think it would be much easier to grow some in deep pots filled with finely sieved compost.

That's what we assumed last year. Our raised bed is 20" deep, plus the earth beneath. It is full of a mixture of sieved soil and compost and yet our carrots and parsnips still all forked!! 

[sunshineband]

Never heard that!

Nice loose soil, (just damp) = nice deep dibbed hole.

Mine follow autumn onions, and the bed is dug and fed first, so far from firm soil 

[Billnorfolk]

I've got my carrots growing in loo rolls in an effort to encourage them not to fork.......not sure if it will work though! 

Make sure that where you sow your carrots there is no fresh manure been aplied for a year or two,not to many stones and lighten the soil with some sand .Best in a 6to8 inch raised beds with light soil but no manure or compost.

[Jomtie]

Ah, our soil has had compost mixed in. I wonder if that's the problem?

[fluffstermum]

Our carrots have been sown in 100% multipurpose compost for the last 3 years, in raised beds. No problems so far and only the odd forked one (which are very cool to find, a nice surprise, especially when they twirl around each other  )
They don't like stones or manure, but I don't think compost is your problem.