Topic: Worth Growing Leeks Now (and Onion Sets)?

[irridium]

transplanted spring sown leeks about 3weeks ago and most of them, I'd say weren't the pencil-thin thickness that they were meant to be and i'm wondering if they're going to be ready in time by next spring, or do you think i'm wasting my time with these and plant winter japanese onion sets instead? i was toying with the idea of buying some a couple of weeks ago, but with the summer harvest i've had this yr, it seemed like these would last me for a while. if i were to find some sets, they'll most probably wouldn't be in the best condition to plant as these would of been sat in garden centre for a long time and they'd be all soft or shrivelled. what do you think?

[Ninnyscrops.]

The old saying of "nothing ventured, nothing gained" always rules my growing reasoning.

Pencil thin leeks at this time of year might be asking a lot for them to surive the winter, but if you have the room go for it. With the mild temperatures at the moment Jap onion sets might have a chance too. Give them a little mulch for extra warmth.

Ninnyscrops

[green lily]

I've got a normal crop of leeks planted out in the summer but last week I planted out the bulbils from around the stumps of the ones I used for seed from last year. Hope they'll make enough growth to be ready in April. I chucked quite a lot of chicken pellets around and they seem to have grown already.
So I suggest you feed yours well and let them get going.

[pigeonseed]

Mine were very weedy last year and they only really made it to 'baby leek' size. But you say yours haven't even made it to pencil thickness by late Oct? That is rather small. I think mine were like pencils in late summer, and by winter, they'd got as big as... sausages (?  is that a recognized measure of leeks?  ;D ) After that, they never grew any more.

However as the others say, if they survive, they'll still taste nice, so maybe leave them? Are you really short of space, even in winter? Or could you do onions as well in a different patch?

[the_snail]

I am not very good with leeks but if you plant them pencil thickness this year then I think you will (if the survive the winter) get either flowers next year or you might get some decent leeks  ??? Like people say nothing ventured.....

[irridium]

well, I'm not short of the space in the winter, but when it comes to spring planting, it's a bed that won't be harvested till end of summer if the leeks are grown in there. i'm thinking putting in some Wilko's shallots* in between the v. young leeks (i'd say half on the bed are v. small) and I doubt v. much these will come to anything worth eating.

* wilko's had 75% sale on all their autumn bulbs this week in some stores, but in the store I went to today, only a box of shallots were left. I was hoping to get lots of tulips :'( :'( :'( :'(

[Ninnyscrops.]

well, I'm not short of the space in the winter, but when it comes to spring planting, it's a bed that won't be harvested till end of summer if the leeks are grown in there. i'm thinking putting in some Wilko's shallots* in between the v. young leeks (i'd say half on the bed are v. small) and I doubt v. much these will come to anything worth eating.

* wilko's had 75% sale on all their autumn bulbs this week in some stores, but in the store I went to today, only a box of shallots were left. I was hoping to get lots of tulips :'( :'( :'( :'(

Well the shortest day is traditional for planting shallots so you've got until the 21st of next month and you must pull your leeks before the shallots start to spead out in the springl

Ninnyscrops