Growing leeks for the first time

[Crystalmoon]

probably a very silly question but.....Im growing leeks for the first time & I have loads of tiny leeks in my seed bed very close together (that will teach me to sow on windy days ::)) do I thin out & try to plant the thinnings in the hope they will continue to grow.
Or can I leave them to it until they get to the required 'pencil' thickness then just plant them in their final growing positions?
Or do I have to thin out & discard the thinnings?
Help ??? havent a clue what to do for the best

[Crystalmoon]

[antipodes]

This year I completely failed to grow leeks from seed! So I will be buying little leeks to plant out
But
Usually
Leave them where they are. keep them watered, and I usually plant mine out early June. Whatever their thickness!

[goodlife]

It all depends what is the result you are after.
You could dig some larger ones out and transplant them with wider spacing for 'proper' large leeks and leave rest of them to grow in situ for early baby leeks..smaller and thinner but perfectly edible.. ;)
There is no need for wasting any.. ;D

[goodlife]

And something to add...there is no silly questions here..not if it is anything to do with gardening.. ;)

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks for the quick replies antipodes & goodlife, I really appreciate it very much as Im off to my lotty in a mo & you've saved me a job as I thought I should be thinning the leeks out. I will leave them alone & probably remove a few to try to grow large leeks but let the rest be baby leeks as they are scrummy ;D 

[BarriedaleNick]

Personally I would plant them out in the traditional manor by dibbing a hole and planting each one quite deep.
I always worried about damage when replanting but they seem pretty tough - some people even trimt he roots before planting!

[Unwashed]

I often sow mine quite thickly, and I think it's best to leave them to get to pencil size unthinned rather.  I feel they get away a bit better when they're pencil sized and they don't seem to mind growing tightly together - though keep them well weeded so they can grow as strongly as they can.

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks unwashed its great to here that works for you as I reckon that what I will do with mine ;)

[antipodes]

Yes, forgot to mention that leeks are very tough, and here in France people always trim them, roots and tops with a sharp knife, before planting - to plant, poke a hole in the ground a few centimetres deep and stand your leek in it then water them in with a big glog of water so the soil falls around it. You can also earth them up a little once they have taken so the bottoms stay nice and white.

When I say trim the roots, just keep about an inch of root and cut off any stragglers. Leeks make very thick, spread out root systems and doing this (they tell me) helps them grow deep and straight for better growth...

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks for the tips antipodes  :)

[Digeroo]

I grew leeks the year before last for the first time and they totally failed to get to pencil size, but I planted them out anyway and they took off and did brilliantly. 

Last year I did it all by the book and sowed them early in pots and they all shrivelled up and died.

[grannyjanny]

We have a veg shower on our site. He said when I planted some leeks that after trimming the tops they should be planted north to south, I don't think he was joking ::), was he?

[saddad]

... because of the flat leaf shape there may be some advantage to aligning the leaves.. if you are going for the "record" but to be honest I can't be bothered. Unless you put the green bits in the bottom of the hole, and the roots out in the air they will grow well!  :-X

[lincsyokel2]

i cut toilet roll tubes down there length, slip them over the leek, then tie it close with a twist of thin wire, mush easier than earthing them up. Doesnt take long in winter to accumulate 100 toilet roll tubes, especially if you eat a lot of curries.......

[grannyjanny]

Just what I thought Saddad ;D.

[davyw1]

For pot leeks top and tailing them is to create a better root system and to force the centre leaves away and unless the leek is a show type then it makea no difference which way the plant faces. show leeks are are planted with the leave north east to south west only to stop the keek from following the sun and twisting.
At the end of the day all you want is a leek to eat and not take to Harrogate Show

SADDAD PMd you about leeks did you gat it