Topic: Saved leek seeds...at last!

[Deb P]

Last year I grew some very good leeks, seeds from T. Etty, 'Jaune de Gros Poitiu' . They were supposed to be huge, (up to 5') but mine turned out to be thick pot type leeks, very healthy plants and tasty too.

I decided I would have a go at growing some on and save the seeds, so I left 4 plants in and let them flower this summer (very pretty), and saved quite a few 'pips' from one of them that I'm growing on as well. Today I finally got the dried seeds out of the remaining seed heads, cleaned the chaff off and now have a little baggie of leek seeds ready for next year!

It's the first time I've tried saving leek seeds, I keep the easy plants like peas and beans and tomatoes, so I'm quite chuffed and am now looking forward to seeing if they come true to type next year...... ;D  Does anyone else do similarly?

[Stevens706]

I’ve got 4 flower heads in the greenhouse but they don’t seem to be drying very well, how did you dry yours?

[tonybloke]

The Relative Humidity (RH) is too high in a greenhouse, pop them in a paper bag and place either above a radiator, in airing cupbpard, or somewhere else dry and warm. rgds, tony ;)

[Deb P]

I dried mine hanging upside down in paper bags in my lottie shed. It has taken quite a long time though!

[Mr Smith]

Deb,
         I intend to grow some leeks for the first time next year I've read up on them but have you any tips?, would it be a good idea to use a raised bed or straight in the ground :)

[Deb P]

I've grown leeks successfully in both raised beds and my 'long rows' side of the allotment which were solid clay when I took it over in 2006. They do seem to benefit from some previously well manured ground, and I grew several different varieties the first year, unsure what would suit the area.

I really like the shorter fatter 'pot' type leeks in terms of cooking them and flavour. Those along with Mussleburgh and Autumn Giant seem to do the best for me here in the Midlands, they last all winter and are still edible in March.

2009 they are going into a raised bed again, I'll plant some in April and a later batch in June, grown in modules and then planted out.

[Eristic]

A point or two to bear in mind with leeks is the fact that they transplant easily, require virtually no space for the first half of their life when space is generally lacking, and finish their growth when there is loads of spare room.

If space is short, sow in a pot, transplant to a deep seed tray, transplant again to a nursery bed, then move to final growing positions about July/Aug. Maximum results, Minimum space.