Author Topic: Leeks - Help. (Read 7330 times)

OliveOil · « **on:** July 08, 2006, 16:28:35 »

I bought some leeks from the market today and want to plant them out.

I understand they need to be 6 inches apart... but what do i do??? Plan on going to the allotment soon so advice would be great.

keef · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2006, 16:44:57 »

Water the row a bit where you want to plant them

Make a hole with a dibber about 6 - 8 inches deep (watering the row helps stop the soil falling back in when you pull the dibber out)

With some scissors, cut of the tops of the leaves, so the you have about 10/12 inches from bulb to leaf tip.

Dip the leeks roots in water to get them all pointing downwards

Put the leek in the hole

Fill the hole with water around the plant

Carry on planting about 6 inches apart

Job done.

PS I always make all the holes first....then plant the leeks.

tim · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2006, 17:13:46 »

Good thinking..
May I add:
1. Raking the soil level also helps prevent it falling in.
2. 6-8"? Don't stop there!!
3. 10-12"? Yours might only be 6-8" the same as ours. No matter!
4. If they've been dry for some time, a good soak can help.

Sorry to interfere, keef.

OliveOil · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2006, 17:38:34 »

Thanks guys! Leeks duly in a bucket of water. Looks like they have been top trimmed, so will trim the roots when i plant. I dont have a dibber but i have a thick long stick so that will have to do LOL.

Wish me luck - I'm having such bad luck down the lotty - i dread going there and i dread even more planting anything out!

tim · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2006, 17:43:51 »

Can't fail with leeks!

And so worth while.

Tulipa · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2006, 17:48:41 »

Olive Oil, do you mind if I ask a question too?

It is my first time with leeks too. If I plant them 6" apart, how far apart would you put the rows? And can I put them closer in a raised bed? Or if I just dot them around can I put them 6" part in each direction? I have been looking it up and got different info so I am better to ask on here!

Sorry, this looks like more than one question...

Thanks

T.

keef · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2006, 19:52:54 »

Rows about a 12 inches apart will be fine.

My allotment is so stony its difficult getting the dibber in further then 6 -8 inches ;) I agree though the deeper you can get them the better.

moonbells · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2006, 21:59:52 »

This year I just used a broom handle to make a hole, watered it when it was in the soil and then wiggled it round. Then a bit more watering allowed it to be pulled out leaving the soil behind. I went for 12" deep ones this year to see if I can get longer leeks.

Dropped in my (untrimmed) leeks, and poked the roots down to the very bottom of the hole by using a thin bamboo cane. Filled hole with more water.

I never trim, as I figure that the plants need all the help they can get to grow, and chopping off leaves won't help that. OK so it means more water loss, but that's not a problem when they're down a soggy humid hole with their roots in mud!!

moonbells

OliveOil · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2006, 23:11:30 »

Ok i think i have something like 50 leeks to put in...

I went with a stick a dibber and a 2 x 1... raked the area - removed stones and weeds.

Watered the holes where i was about to dib and got 3-4 inches depth MAX.

So had to dig down to 6 or so inches, the refill the LARGE hole with layers of top soil and crumbled the deeper damp soil until the whole was filled. Then got the 2 x 1 and wet the hole and just managed to get 6 inches deep!

Filled the hole with water, trimmed the tops and roots and popped them in the hole.

Got to 16 holes and leeks... got P()ssed off and chucked the rest back in teh bucket of shallow water....

to be continued tomorrow - should be done by next sunday at this rate!

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2006, 09:15:41 »

hehehe OO, I did mine a couple of weeks ago and it is a labour of love! Just to mention, I think you are meant to bung the baby leeklets into the holes, then fill them with water....

RSJK · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2006, 19:47:07 »

These leeks were planted about 4 weeks ago 12"s apart and about 10" deep.

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MikeB · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2006, 19:55:48 »

Quote from: Richard Kinson on July 09, 2006, 19:47:07

These leeks were planted about 4 weeks ago 12"s apart and about 10" deep.

Richard, don't you eat any other veg? :o Why so many? ???

supersprout · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2006, 20:27:26 »

lol@OO, leek planting has had its ups and downs for me too this year ::)
hope to catch up to Richard's league though ;)

Bed One 1 July
inserted dibber, withdrew dibber, dry topsoil filled it up again
scraped furrow to damp soil level, then dibbed again - OK
placed leeks in 6" apart, offset, watered each hole carefully and backfilled (tulippa - textbook raised bed method)
time to plant 120 leeks: 3 hours >:(

Bed Two 8 Julyhoed deep furrow the length of the bed
placed leeks 4" apart, watered with abandon, and backfilled with hoe
repeated three more times, rows 1ft apart
time to plant 120 leeks: 1 hour 8)

Looking forward to finding out which do better (hehehe)

120 to go! ;D

Mike - you can never grow enough leeks, surely? :P

RSJK · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2006, 20:43:40 »

Richard, don't you eat any other veg? :o Why so many? ???
[/quote]

Mike there is so many because my allotments are next to a main road and such a lot of people ask me for produce, and they so very generously ( Te He) give me donations for all my hard work and time which have gone into growing my veg. Well thats how I get around the money for veg of the allotment thing.

OliveOil · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2006, 22:03:01 »

HANG ON!!!

Am i supposed to back fill??? I just watered the holes, popped the leeks in and left the holes!

Oh god - I hate leeks already.

Did another row tonight and got a huge blister on my finger which popped!

MikeB · « **Reply #15 on:** July 09, 2006, 22:12:26 »

Cunning ;D ;D

supersprout · « **Reply #16 on:** July 09, 2006, 22:16:58 »

Quote from: OliveOil on July 09, 2006, 22:03:01

Am i supposed to back fill

NO! - not with the hole-and-water method. But with it being so dry and windy, and no rain forecast, I figured they'd be happier with a thick dust mulch. The furrow-and-fill method for bed 2? - first year I've tried it ::) :)

Quote from: OliveOil on July 09, 2006, 22:03:01

Oh god - I hate leeks already.

lol when you have big fat leeks early next year you'll love them to bits ;D

Tulipa · « **Reply #17 on:** July 09, 2006, 22:55:13 »

Quote from: supersprout on July 09, 2006, 20:27:26

6" apart, offset, watered each hole carefully and backfilled (tulippa - textbook raised bed method)

SS thank you, I had a feeling there was a different spacing for a raised bed, Hopefully I shall get them in on Tuesday - my weekends are never my own! :(

Hyacinth · « **Reply #18 on:** July 09, 2006, 23:47:28 »

Have you seen Steve Partridge's updated website & video? - he's giving a masterclass in leek planting - great stuff. This forum, further down the page.

supersprout · « **Reply #19 on:** July 10, 2006, 14:10:24 »

Steve's video and blog are fantastic! More please ;D ;D ;D

Edited later: deep bed planted textbook style (except for the backfilling, which I know is wrong):

Experimental furrow-and-fill method. Got in deep about this with the site rep this morning, he said I'd done it all wrong :-[
I said I certainly had ;D

Pencil? My leeks are the thickness of a drinking straw - well, the big ones are ;)

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Author Topic: Leeks - Help. (Read 7330 times)