Hello all
We will hopefully be moving to a new full sized plot in a few weeks time and want to take most of the transplantable stuff with us. Whilst I (think) I know about a lot of the perennials, I'm not sure what to do with the leeks. We've probably got about a hundred of them, and whilst I'm happy leaving some of them to whoever takes over our half plot, I'd quite like to take some of them with us. They were planted out in late summer/early autumn and aren't really big enough for eating unless we want baby leeks, which I think are a bit too fiddly.
Do I give them up, eat them as they are or can I move them? And will they grow if I do move them?
Never done it myself, but when we first moved into our house the elderly couple next door did it on a regular basis at the end of the season (mid-Feb onwards) because they had other stuff that needed to go in. I remember it as being something they were reluctant to do - bit like your situation, I suppose - but it worked; though I got the impression they bolted a bit earlier than they might have done if they'd let them be.
Hope this helps.
Hi greenstar,
They can be dug & placed at an angle in a 'holding trench'.
Or prepare & freeze for later use?
I always got the impression that leeks were idiot-proof. If you have quite a lot, you could transplant one third of them, stick one-third in a holding trench (can't remember the word for it, but you sort of dig a hole, fill it with sand or such like, and heel them in) and stuff yourself stupid with the rest - freeze a load of soup etc!
Hmmm, bupster, idiot proof doesn't mean that I can't kill them! Think we're going to try moving half of them - the rest aren't worth bothering about. Thanks everyone for your help.
When I grow my leeks I put about 5 plants together at the end of each row as spares. These get transplanted at any time during the growing season and grow O.K.
I moved some last winter. I moved them from containers after 5 months or so as the growth had stopped, probably restricted due to the container size, and only half their intended size. They never grew much bigger so we ended up eating small leeks, tasty all the same.
the original planting out date will probably mean that the leeks won't get very big anyway (much too late really) so you won't be losing out too much if you move the best and leave the rest
Quote from: calendula on January 06, 2008, 10:19:02
the original planting out date will probably mean that the leeks won't get very big anyway (much too late really) so you won't be losing out too much if you move the best and leave the rest
We planted ours this late too, I thought they might eventually get to a decent size when the weather warms up a bit but you reckon not? :-\
depends what you call a good size :)
I purposefully sow and plant a late crop of leeks (but never as late as that) to have a small leek for about this time of year onwards (when the others have finished), the flavour is still wonderful and I would say they are about a large pencil size thickness
as an experiment last year I sowed some leeks at the end of august and planted out, half were cloched and the others left to cope and I will see how they develop when the spring gets going but generally leeks should be sowed no later than late April, early May - maybe if you sowed a late crop they stand a better chance of developing but remember if they are pencil sized they will still taste gorgeous and that's what counts in the end - pan fried with a little bit of butter :)
Quote from: calendula on January 06, 2008, 11:38:45
....... pan fried with a little bit of butter :)
OOOh yes!! Just how I like them.
I think I will get some that will be ok, just not very big, I hadn't realised that they should have been transplanted earlier but will learn for next year!
Why not leave them where they are and ask the new people if you can take some when they're ready to harvest?