Leeks

[Sleepy]

Have you finished leaking for the day now then 4P?

[4pygmies]

Cheek! Yes, I have finished LEEking! And what fine vegetable a leek is - easy to grow, tolerant of any conditions, pest free and really sweet tasting and versatile! All veggie growers should have bed full!
I am having leek and vegetable soup tonight btw.........

[Sleepy]

The said:

This is a great recipe using leeks, but unfortunatley for 4P it's got meat in it.

autumnfruits.proboards78.com/index.cgi?board=food&action=display&thread=1172132573

You could always replace the meat with spam in that recipe The witch

[cheerypeabrain]

I plan to grow leeks this year for the first time...have any of you got any advice for a newbie leeker?

[Sweetleaf]

Plotty has posted a video on his site showing transplant techniques, I found very useful, and easy. My Leeks are fairly small still though, perhaps I did it a bit too late? 4P is the real Leek expert, I think.

[mickthecactus]

cheerypeabrain said:

I plan to grow leeks this year for the first time...have any of you got any advice for a newbie leeker?

Doreen, on this and other veg could I suggest you get The Vegetable Expert by Hessayon. It's a really excellent book and tells you pretty much all you need to know. Follow it and you can't go too far wrong.

[cheerypeabrain]

Is it 'spensive Mick?

[Sweetleaf]

cheerypeabrain said:

Is it 'spensive Mick?

About a fiver Cheery, any good garden centre will have it.

[dutchy]

Not in the Netherlands they don't so......
Any advice on here please pretty please?

[mickthecactus]

dutchy said:

Not in the Netherlands they don't so......
Any advice on here please pretty please?

Well, this is what I do Dutchy. I sow them outdoors (rather like spring onions) and leave them until they are about the thickness of a pencil. I then lift them, trim off the tops of the leaves and the roots with scissors, make a hole with a dibber, drop them in but don't firm the hole - just water them and let the water wash the soil round them. Works Ok for me but I believe you can earth them up carefuly to get longer stems or even put collars round them - too much effort I think.

Leave them to grow, lift them. eat them.

[dutchy]

Thank you Mick.
When would you sow them then?
As I am fighting for space and such I think I have to pre sow at home before planting out on the mixed allotment.
( mixed as in it has too be pretty and romantic ( owners demand for letting me use the plot for intergrowing with veg) as well as productive)
Can I sow in pots and transfer when they are pencil shaped?
The pots I can place at will so I only have to think about a final placement.

Help.

[mickthecactus]

dutchy said:

Thank you Mick.
When would you sow them then?
As I am fighting for space and such I think I have to pre sow at home before planting out on the mixed allotment.
( mixed as in it has too be pretty and romantic ( owners demand for letting me use the plot for intergrowing with veg) as well as productive)
Can I sow in pots and transfer when they are pencil shaped?
The pots I can place at will so I only have to think about a final placement.

Help.

Let you know tomorrow Dutchy.

[cheerypeabrain]

I've been bought 'Grow Your Own Veg' by Carol Klein ;D

so I have been reading that for now.

[4pygmies]

Leeks are fine to transplant, Dutchy. If you sow in a deep container, like an old ice cream carton, they are much easier to move and suffer less disturbance. They really are quite a trouble free vegetable.

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

Leeks are fine to transplant, Dutchy. If you sow in a deep container, like an old ice cream carton, they are much easier to move and suffer less disturbance. They really are quite a trouble free vegetable.

Theer you are Dutchy - from the old leek lady herself.

[4pygmies]

mickthecactus said:

4pygmies said:

Leeks are fine to transplant, Dutchy. If you sow in a deep container, like an old ice cream carton, they are much easier to move and suffer less disturbance. They really are quite a trouble free vegetable.

Theer you are Dutchy - from the old leek lady herself.

Cruel but fair..... : ;D

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

mickthecactus said:

Theer you are Dutchy - from the old leek lady herself.

Cruel but fair..... : ;D

[dutchy]

;D

Old icecream containers to start them off in hm
( Old ) Leek lady what good advice!
What shall I start with...
Strawberry cream or fudge or chocolate...

Oh dear how inconvenient to be forced to eat icecream ;D

What I forgot to ask is when do I start sowing?

[4pygmies]

March/April is early enough Dutchy. X

[dutchy]

Thanks <bigicecreamforyousmiley>
Er
Indoors or out?

[roan]

We have just decided that we will grow leeks this year as we really like them but they are VERY expensive in the shops.

As far as I can tell it is OK to plant seedlings now, although it says they need a clay soil.

Our soil is sandy although we bulk it up with ollies.

Any suggestions from you experts would be appreciated!

[4pygmies]

Leeks are usually trouble free vegetables Roan. They do like quite a rich soil, although they grow in my sandy soil very well. The only thing to remember is that, if you transplant them, water them in very well. I dibble a hole, drop the pencil thin seedlings in and fill with water instead of backfilling with soil. That's the traditional way to do it here.
I'm not sure of the timings where you are but you can alternatively, if you like baby leeks, carefully station sow in situ and pull the leeks in clumps when they are still young and sweet. I've done that too. I don't see any reason why they couldn't be sown like that in pots either, for those who are short of space.
I wonder why they are so expensive in NZ....perhaps because they don't like the heat too much? They are usually cheap over here, although not this year as apparently everyone who grows for the wholesale market is having a bad year with lots of the winter vegetables - it was too wet for too long in the summer I think.

[roan]

4pygmies said:

Leeks are usually trouble free vegetables Roan. They do like quite a rich soil, although they grow in my sandy soil very well. The only thing to remember is that, if you transplant them, water them in very well. I dibble a hole, drop the pencil thin seedlings in and fill with water instead of backfilling with soil. That's the traditional way to do it here.
I'm not sure of the timings where you are but you can alternatively, if you like baby leeks, carefully station sow in situ and pull the leeks in clumps when they are still young and sweet. I've done that too. I don't see any reason why they couldn't be sown like that in pots either, for those who are short of space.
I wonder why they are so expensive in NZ....perhaps because they don't like the heat too much? They are usually cheap over here, although not this year as apparently everyone who grows for the wholesale market is having a bad year with lots of the winter vegetables - it was too wet for too long in the summer I think.

Thanks 4P, I knew you would have words of wisdom, but hesitated to ask you as you must get fed up with seeing them every day! ;D

We are planting seedlings on Thursday provided there are some at the Garden Centre.

[4pygmies]

I don't know about 'words of wisdom' Roan, it's all pretty standard advice! I hope you get a lovely crop..
I NEVER get tired of leeks though - wonderful little things

[debbiem]

Are they 'Musselburgh' leeks that you grow, 4P? There you go - I'm a lottie bore in the making. ;D We've got some Musselburgh seeds, that kind seems very popular.