"Alan McKenzie" wrote in message
...
I have read somewhere that instead of gradually raising the soil around
leeks and therefore risking soil getting into the leeks, that plastic
plumbing pipes can be used to sheath the leeks.

My question is what diameter pipe, what length

Rather than use pipes which can be awkward, for reasons you've worked
out for yourself, a lot of exhibitors and others nowadays use sheets
of thin black polycarbonate, or clear polycarbonate painted black
which are formed into a roll around the plant in situ, and tied
with string.

You can find thin polycarboante - a waterpoof version of corrugated
cardboard in all sorts of places, for free. The fact that the thick
version costs a lot of money when sold as cold frames, or glazing
sheets, or portfolios shouldn't put you off.

The ideal is to leave a good air gap around the leek so as to allow
a good circulation of air. So make the "pipes" as wide as possible
within reason. That way any water will evaporate away rather than
settle on the leek and turn the outside layer mushy.

The poly tubes should be regularly replaced as the leeks grow
in height. This was a devil of a job in the old days using lengths of
drainpipe as you can imagine. Bring the pipe well up past the
button, the first leaf joint, as with a wide pipe this is necessary
to avoid any light falling inside the pipe. You can also
put some sort of barrier - a scrunched up black bin-bag around the
mouth of the tube but just on the side that gets the sun. In this
way any moisture can still evaporate away.

Push a narrow section (2 inch max ) plastic pipe into the ground alongside
each leek and water and feed through that. Don't water inside
the tubes\pipes.


michael adams






and when should they be used
on the growing leeks.

Thanks for any help.

Alan