leeks

[grannyjanny]

How thick do leeks need to be when planted out. I think I've read pencil thickness but mine are nowhere near that thick. Will it be OK to get them planted they are about the thickness of a childs small paintbrush.
Janet.

[grannyjanny]

[kenkew]

They're going to be in their final position for quite some time, so nothing to gain by too early re-planting at the moment. If they're happy enough where they are they'll transplant safer later on when they have a bit more girth to them.

[Bjerreby]

I've read about "pencil thickness" too. My view is however that the longer you leave them in the seed bed, the more damage you do to the root system when you transplant.

I wait till the leeks have 3 leaves. By then they are as thick as a knitting needle.

My King Richards were sown in March and moved out a month ago. They are doing fine.

My Musselburghs were sown early April and moved out 2 weeks ago, also doing fine.

I suppose they will all soon be thick as pencils!  :D

[cornykev]

I''d leave them for a while yet, the root system shouldn't be a problem as most of it gets cut back anyway.   ???     ;D ;D ;D

[Digeroo]

Hi Grannyfanny Mine are still like blades of grass, though I have now thinned them out a bit and given them a fed.  Someone suggested a few days ago that they did not plant them out until July and I realised this would be most convenient since by then I will have more space to put them, the potatoes and brocolli will leave some space.

Currenlty every inch of my allotment is spoken for.

[lancelotment]

With you on that one Digeroo.  Can't put mine out until the spuds are up and I have the space so they'll be sat on the sidelines for a few weeks yet.

[saddad]

Didn't know you were changing your name  ;D
We have put most of ours out (so we didn't sell them!) and they are nowhere near pencil thickness. If you have space bung them in!
:)

[Mr Smith]

I planted my leek plants about six weeks ago I know they saw that they should be a pencil thick but mine were more like a drinking straw, taking advice off 'Geordie and Taff I cut half an inch off the top and cut the roots down to 1/2 an inch, planted in a hole made by a dibber with just the tops showing and they are doing brilliantly, :)

[sarah]

i sow mine quite thickly in large potsat the beginning of the season and plant them in the space left by potatoes or broad beans and they are never pencil (or straw) thickness when i do. more like thick grass really, but they are usually fine and as ken says they will be inthe ground quite some time and will be fine.

[liefste]

My site rep told me that as long as the bottom of the planting hole is a fine tilth, they should be fine. I have just "bunged mine in" as i could not bare to look at them anymore, waiting to go in. They were about knitting needle thickness, and went into a good dibber sized hole. Two days later i looked at them and they are standing erect and a lovely green colour. I hope they do well.. :D

[Digeroo]

Have to say that mine are looking a great deal better now they have been thinned and fed. Though some of them look a bit sad since some silly b ran over them with a wheelbarrow.  Whoops it was me.   ::)  What an idiot. ;D ;D

[liefste]

Have to say that mine are looking a great deal better now they have been thinned and fed. Though some of them look a bit sad since some silly b ran over them with a wheelbarrow.  Whoops it was me.   ::)  What an idiot. ;D ;D

lol....!!!  ;D ;D ;D i like your sense of humour..!!!

[Suzanne]

Never managed pencil thickness yet. I plant mine out when they are too big for the seed tray. Have done fine and other lottie holders happy to take the excess of my hands.