I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

In article ,
4thFrog wrote:

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1314.htm

I used to grow Egyptian onions as the fruit was above ground but gave
it up after a few years. Just an aside. The above fact sheet has leek
culture info.

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

"4thFrog" wrote in message
...

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?




--
4thFrog

I have about 30 growing now, I have had them growing for about a month now,
just give them enough room to grow and use plenty of manure. I'm in the Land
of Oz.

In article ,
4thFrog wrote:

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?

As opposed to the Clemson site, you might dig a 6" to 8" trench to plant
them in and fill in the trench over a period of time as they get larger.
Don't know if one way or the other is better, I just know that it works
for me.
--

Billy
Republican and Democratic "Leadership" Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zunx_goz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
4thFrog wrote:

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?

As opposed to the Clemson site, you might dig a 6" to 8" trench to plant
them in and fill in the trench over a period of time as they get larger.
Don't know if one way or the other is better, I just know that it works
for me.

Sort of like hilly them in as they grow. I have hilled in plants but
this just for temporary protection. Usually for new plants coming at a
poor time for me. In a way I am reminded of white asparagus and
protecting cauliflower too. Labor intensive but a labor of love.

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

4thFrog wrote:
I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything
about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I keep it really simple. They stay in the one place and re-grow from the
pups each year. I manure and water them and eat them. That's it.

David

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

4thFrog wrote:
I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything
about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I keep it really simple. They stay in the one place and re-grow from the
pups each year. I manure and water them and eat them. That's it.

David

I have looked up the word pup on two different sites
www.garden.org/dictionary/
and
www.gardenguides.com/resources/dictionary/
as well as having googled it, and can find no mention of pups in a
gardening sense. I did find a reference to pups as being runners from
aloe vera but I'm not aware of runners from leeks.

Could you amplify on your statement.
--

Billy
Republican and Democratic "Leadership" Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zunx_goz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

In article ,
"joe bloggs" wrote:

"4thFrog" wrote in message
...

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?




--
4thFrog

I have about 30 growing now, I have had them growing for about a month now,
just give them enough room to grow and use plenty of manure. I'm in the Land
of Oz.

And it's summer there. :-)
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

4thFrog wrote:
I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything
about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I keep it really simple. They stay in the one place and re-grow from the
pups each year. I manure and water them and eat them. That's it.

David

I have looked up the word pup on two different sites
www.garden.org/dictionary/
and
www.gardenguides.com/resources/dictionary/
as well as having googled it, and can find no mention of pups in a
gardening sense. I did find a reference to pups as being runners from
aloe vera but I'm not aware of runners from leeks.

Could you amplify on your statement.

Pups are offsets. :-) A term commonly used for Agave as well.

Leeks and other onion-type plants often produce small sets along side
the main bulb.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

4thFrog wrote:
I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything
about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I keep it really simple. They stay in the one place and re-grow from the
pups each year. I manure and water them and eat them. That's it.

David

I have looked up the word pup on two different sites
www.garden.org/dictionary/
and
www.gardenguides.com/resources/dictionary/
as well as having googled it, and can find no mention of pups in a
gardening sense. I did find a reference to pups as being runners from
aloe vera but I'm not aware of runners from leeks.

Could you amplify on your statement.

Pups are offsets. :-) A term commonly used for Agave as well.

Leeks and other onion-type plants often produce small sets along side
the main bulb.

I'll keep an eye out ;O)
--

Billy
Republican and Democratic "Leadership" Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zunx_goz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

4thFrog said:

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I've got a method that gives you decently blanched shafts
with no hilling or otherwise fussing about during that long
leek growing season. It's a bit elaborate to start, but no
work at all during the rest of the summer.

Start leeks indoors about now for setting out in mid-April.
(The last few years, though, I've not started seed but have
been mail-ordering leeks for transplant.) You want good,
stout transplants. Trim the tops back to keep the leeks no
more than 6 inches tall, or there about. They can be grown
maybe 10-20 seedlings in a 6 inch pot, to be separated when
ready for transplant.

Prepare a bed thoroughly with compost or well-rotted manure
and other soil amendments (I am partial to alfalfa and seaweed).

Lay out several layers of newspaper over the prepared bed.
Thoroughly cover the newspaper with a thickish layer of straw.

What I do next is to lay out a set of boards across the bed (these
being the boards I use to close off the fronts of the compost
bins). The boards allow me to spread my weight as I work
across the bed setting in the leek transplants, and also serve to
mash down the straw. The boards also serve to help space
out the leeks across the bed, which will be 6 inches apart in rows
about 6 inches apart, with each row offset from the next.

Aiming for something like this:
o o o o o o
o o o o o
o o o o o o

Now, knock the leek seedlings out of the pot and wash off the soil.
Carefully separate the plants, but don't worry if you break the
roots; just be careful not to bend or break the shoots.

(Or put your purchased transplants into a container of water just
before you are ready to plant.)

To plant:
The ideal tool is a nice, long dibble. (You can make one from a
wooden dowel or a branch trimming, but proper dibble with a
handle is easier to use.)

Punch the dibble down through the straw and newspaper.
The hole should be deep enough so that when you drop
your leek transplant in, you will just barely see the green
leaves. (They will actually be just *below* the top of the
straw.) Set them all out, then water them in with a small
watering can, right down into each hole. You can use a
weak solution of transplant fertilizer (half strength) or,
what I prefer, is to use seaweed solution (Maxicrop brand).

The leeks will need no fussing or hilling during the summer.
Maybe top up the straw mulch with some chopped straw, or
you might want to hit them again with a seaweed spray.

My dibble looks a lot like this one:
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/ca...product/99812/

Here's one crafted from wood:
http://www.gerrysartsywoodstuff.com/dibbles.htm

Of course, if you are growing leeks for competition, that's
a whole other story...

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

After enlightenment, the laundry.

email valid but not regularly monitored

for better results:
change user name to 'kiewicz'
change domain name to 'comcast.net'

Billy wrote:
In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

4thFrog wrote:
I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything
about growing them, does anyone have any tips?

I keep it really simple. They stay in the one place and re-grow
from the pups each year. I manure and water them and eat them.
That's it.

David

I have looked up the word pup on two different sites
www.garden.org/dictionary/
and
www.gardenguides.com/resources/dictionary/
as well as having googled it, and can find no mention of pups in a
gardening sense. I did find a reference to pups as being runners from
aloe vera but I'm not aware of runners from leeks.

Could you amplify on your statement.

The bulblets that grow from the base of the mature plant, sometimes called
sets. Mine also seed, just as the heads are dying the new ones appear
poking through the mulch.

David

In message , 4thFrog
writes

I'm growing leeks for the first time this year, but don't anything about
growing them, does anyone have any tips?

Here in the UK leeks are a much grown crop by gardeners. Especially in
Wales where it is the national vegetable. So we have some experience of
leeks.

You may find the following link helpful:

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_...ry/leeks_1.asp

Good luck!
--
Tom W.
Deepest Dorset