Advice on Leeks Please

[Susiebelle]

I have not yet managed to transplant my leeks - so I am asking the question 'am I too late now? ' it will take me the best part of a day to do the job justice, would I be wasting my time ?

Would be very grateful for any thoughts

Many thanks
Susiebelle

[Susiebelle]

[Bill Door]

Personally I would still plant them out. Sounds as if you have a load to plant out.  You have not said how big your leeks are, I assume they are about 20 cm long. So what i would do if I felt tired would be as follows

1)  take half and plant as normal, dib a hole and drop a leek in.  The depth of the hole should be just less than the length of the leek but no more than 6 inches.  Dib holes about 6 cms apart.  Once they are in water the holes and leave well alone unless the sun gets too hot and no rain.

2) with the remaining half i would make a slit trench with a spade about 15 cm deep and form a "V" shape along a line parallel to the other leeks.  Then drop the leeks in the slit so that they are about 2 or 3 cms apart.  Again water them in and water again if they dry out,

If you use the "slit" trench leeks first the others should grow well.

Good luck

Bill

[johhnyco15]

i would plant them out as i still aint done mine yet

[Tee Gee]

i would plant them out as i still aint done mine yet................Can't !!!.....I have eaten most of them

[Malcolm Brown]

My leeks have been in a while which is pretty unusual for me usually it is about now.  I like to wait until they have been frosted before I take any.  Because I get plenty of mulching material my planting method is unusual. See:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/norwichhouse-oakridge/28252293864/in/album-72157655792756058/

[Susiebelle]

Thank you for taking time to respond - thinks Bill's suggestion is ace - thank you, I feel it's now manageable

I know what I shall be doing tomorrow  !!

[Humbug carrot]

If they are planted out now will they miss the dreaded Leek moth? I haven't grown leeks for years because of this little blighter.

[gwynleg]

Humbug I don't know the answer to whether now is the right time to miss the leek moth but I am hoping to have avoided it by covering my leeks with enviromesh for the first time ever. I will report back if it works (I imagine the little blighters waiting patiently till I uncover to weed!)

[Malcolm Brown]

I have never experienced leek moth but up to 2 years ago I had never experienced blight in 45 years of gardening.  Some pests seem to be becoming more virulent including two legged ones.

[Humbug carrot]

I used to grow them under enviromesh but encountered a couple of problems
Firstly some varieties especially the early ones tended to  run to seed very quickly, I put this down to the micro climate under the mesh.
Also no matter how well I weighted down the sides of the mesh,whether it was with pegs, soil ,bricks or anything the little blighters still got in, probably when I was weeding.

[squeezyjohn]

I've noticed that too ... under mesh the leeks don't perform as well although it does keep the moths out.  I find they get rust easily in the more stagnant air you get in a mesh tunnel - and quite a few bolt to flower - as you say the earlier varieties.

But net them we must.  Leek moth can completely destroy a crop ... and there's something with big teeth that comes on my allotment which bites them down to the ground if left to stand in the open through winter - deer or rabbits - not sure which.  They eat my garlic too!

[strawberry1]

I am taking a chance again, first time in five years after being pee`d off with leek moth. I put a couple of dozen in last week, uncovered. I have tried all sorts in the past and if moth didn`t get them then rust did but I always planted in spring. Mesh held them back and they got rust dramatically. So nothing ventured and one last try

[laurieuk]

Have never in over 60 years had leek moth but what gets me is that the moment I plant leeks the badger thinks it is a latrine and even neat jeyes in the area will not deter him. We all have problems but then that is gardening.