Topic: Leek advice for a newbie!!

[Vinnypeewee]

Hey there!!

Its my first year of growing in my newly created back garden plot!! Its final size is about 16'x25' .. it was planned to be bigger. I wanted 20x40 but was kindly told NO!... by the OH  ..wont let me take any more of her lawn!!

Anyway... I have started with the basics and easy to grow. Anyway....

I have planted my Leek seeds into a seed tray with 20 individual Pots about 3" square and 3" deep (about 3 to 4 seeds in each pot). They have come though great.. i think (they came through bent over then straightened up!) and have now got to about 4" high but are really thin and grass like??!! . BUT... will these be too over crowded in the tray? or shoud i transplant them now into a deeper tray or 8" deep Ploy Box as shown in a previos Topic?

I fear that as the get bigger and start to build up there thickness... they wont have enough depth or room in the tray there in.




Plus it looks like he tops of the leeks are dying off, or gowing brown. Is this normal as the develope??


Cheers In advance guys

Vince

[raisedbedted]

I cant see anything wrong with your approach other than it seems quite a bit of effort for me.  Because Leeks can just be dibbed bare root into planting holes I dont bother with pricking them out.  Instead I sow a load into a tallish 4" pot or else one of those punnets peaches come in, then let them grow and when theyre about 6" high take them all out and dib them in one by one.

Given that harsh treatment yours are living the life of riley!  Just downt let those modules dry out too much and maybe transplant sooner rather than later if root depth is restricted.

[Vinnypeewee]

cheers for the reply!!

hehe the 'Life of riley' variety!!!

I suppose im just being carefull as its my first time!! was tempted just to sprinkle the seeds over a Tub of somesort then prick out but i wasnt planning on doing a lot so thought this way would makle sorting easier!

Is the browning onf the tops normal at this stage?

[SPUDLY]

Dont think the brown tops are anything to worry about, i'm growing autumn giant also and mine go brown like that. I planted mine late january and have just re-planted into a deeper tray. And dont worry mine also look like grass. :)

[daileg]

yes you can move leeks a few times before there final spot does not do them much harm

[saddad]

Tney'll be fine in those cells for a month... then put into individual pots like yog pots... then put into ground where early spuds come out... some people even say they grow better for root damage and deliberately trim the roots when transplanting into the final position...  :-\