Allotments 4 All

Round about end of June, I planted 7 leeks in a biggish pot - diameter approx. 12" which contained multi-purpose potting compost & I mixed about a teaspoon of blood, fish & bone with it.....until a week ago, the pot had had to stand up close to the house (groundfloor flat) so no sunshine at all because all the rest of my little patio was crammed with other things that  needed any possible sunshine more - courgettes, tomatoes (I don't get much sun here cos of position of flat)

When planted, the leeks were minute but they've grown steadily and thickened up to possibly about the thickness of my index finger - but keep making loads of wonderful leaf/top growth!!.....I keep trimming this regularly so that's it's not falling about all over the place.

Last week, moved the pot out to a different spot in the hope that now, it might get a little bit of sunshine altho as the weeks have gone by, don't think I'm going to get anymore on my patio as the sun 'has moved around' but am wondering why - they keep making loads of length to the leaf but don't seem to be thickening up very quick!!....they've got space to get thicker - my ones at the allotment don't seem any bigger (in fact not making the top growth like these are either) but the girl who shares the lottie with me - her leeks are enormous!!

will they not grow properly in pots or am I just being impatient (again)...would welcome your comments - H.P.

7 in a 12" pot may be a bit tight - I plant mine outside 9" apart and people still tell me theyre too close together

the ones i sowed in march are in a maseeeeeeeeeeeeeev pot and doing really well.

the mini ones i sowed around them (much later) are still surviving and will see how they fare after i start pulling their big brothers.

when i say massive, i MEAN massive (not got a tape to hand but hold your arms out, hold your hands to form a circle.  it's that massive!

;D

size matters  8)

actually with leeks it doesn't, they'll taste great whatever the size - I always sow a late crop that never get much thicker than a pencil but they are harvested next spring in big batches and taste wonderful

you could earth them up with compost to encourage more edible growth

Cal.....I can't earth them up anymore as the compost is right to the top of the bucket now - have done that a few times - there seems plenty of room between each plant still for them to fill out a bit more tho - maybe they just go on thickening up thru the winter months?

have got another pot with 6 in so hoping at least for some that will be edible....each time I trim the long tops off - I use them in a stir fry ;)

I'm new to leeks (and everything else) this year. I have nine going in a bigger grow box kind of thing with a water reserve underneath. The box was found in the trash and recycling room at my apatment. It sits right outside my balcony door and gets sun half of the day.

They were planted on the 3rd and 16th of March inside and later planted them out when they were about half a pencil in thickness late April/early May. One is now beautiful and like a large one in the shops and the smallest is about a pencil thickness. I know they could do with larger space but I don't know why the sizes should be so different.

I also didn't know you could trim the tops. After reading your post I think, why didnät I think of this before!! Thanks for that!

Quote from: STHLMgreen on August 27, 2006, 00:34:53
I also didn't know you could trim the tops. After reading your post I think, why didnät I think of this before!! Thanks for that!

I'm thinking that lopping the tops off might be what is preventing larger growth down below  ;) because they are trying hard to re-gain the cut off growth, just a thought

hmmm...

maybe not such a good idea.

but you don't see leeks growing up the allotment with long thin straggly tops!! :-\ - don't know what to do now ???

well you should come up and see my leeks some time  ;D

stop fiddling with them, they'll be fine  :)

Ok ok  ;D    thanks!

will stop worrying