I have 2 trays of leek seedlings - Jolant and Musselburgh. They are about 4
inches high and very thin. The roots are now coming through the bottoms of
the trays. Given their size is it safe to plant them out yet? If not,
should they be potted on or just left to grow a bit more.
TIA

--
Kathy

It's pointless to try and discuss ethics with a spider.

Kathy wrote:
I have 2 trays of leek seedlings - Jolant and Musselburgh. They are about 4
inches high and very thin. The roots are now coming through the bottoms of
the trays. Given their size is it safe to plant them out yet? If not,
should they be potted on or just left to grow a bit more.
TIA

There should be no problem. I successfully plant mine about then. As the
roots are trimmed before doing so coming through the bottoms should not
be a problem. It always fascinated me how just dibbing a hole, trimming
the roots, dropping them in the hole, filling the hole with water they
take and race away. I wish other plants were as easy to plant out!


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"Broadback" wrote in message
...
Kathy wrote:
I have 2 trays of leek seedlings - Jolant and Musselburgh. They are
about 4 inches high and very thin. The roots are now coming through the
bottoms of the trays. Given their size is it safe to plant them out yet?
If not, should they be potted on or just left to grow a bit more.
TIA

There should be no problem. I successfully plant mine about then. As the
roots are trimmed before doing so coming through the bottoms should not be
a problem. It always fascinated me how just dibbing a hole, trimming the
roots, dropping them in the hole, filling the hole with water they take
and race away. I wish other plants were as easy to plant out!

No problem at all Kathy, as Broadback says trim the roots beefore you dib
them in.
As I trim the roots, I let them rest in a bowl with some water and a couple
of drops of SM3 fertiliser, you could use tomato food, to stop them drying
out and give them a good start.

However i would sow some more Mussleburgh about now, and you should be able
to plant them in August (ish). That way you will have fresh leeks in
February and March when there isnt much else!

This works here anyway, at the top end of Wirral where the winters are
relatively soft, but in Mussleburgh, where they come from, they can have
REAL winters!

John

"John T" wrote in message
...

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
Kathy wrote:
I have 2 trays of leek seedlings - Jolant and Musselburgh. They are
about 4 inches high and very thin. The roots are now coming through the
bottoms of the trays. Given their size is it safe to plant them out
yet? If not, should they be potted on or just left to grow a bit more.
TIA

There should be no problem. I successfully plant mine about then. As the
roots are trimmed before doing so coming through the bottoms should not
be a problem. It always fascinated me how just dibbing a hole, trimming
the roots, dropping them in the hole, filling the hole with water they
take and race away. I wish other plants were as easy to plant out!

No problem at all Kathy, as Broadback says trim the roots beefore you dib
them in.
As I trim the roots, I let them rest in a bowl with some water and a
couple of drops of SM3 fertiliser, you could use tomato food, to stop them
drying out and give them a good start.

However i would sow some more Mussleburgh about now, and you should be
able to plant them in August (ish). That way you will have fresh leeks in
February and March when there isnt much else!

This works here anyway, at the top end of Wirral where the winters are
relatively soft, but in Mussleburgh, where they come from, they can have
REAL winters!

Thanks to you both for the advice. I'm on the east coast [almost], the
driest part of England, and the field is windy, so soaking them is a must.

--
Kathy

It's pointless to try and discuss ethics with a spider.

On Thu, 21 May 2009 18:31:53 +0100, "John T"
wrote:


"Broadback" wrote in message
...
Kathy wrote:
I have 2 trays of leek seedlings - Jolant and Musselburgh. They are
about 4 inches high and very thin. The roots are now coming through the
bottoms of the trays. Given their size is it safe to plant them out yet?
If not, should they be potted on or just left to grow a bit more.
TIA

There should be no problem. I successfully plant mine about then. As the
roots are trimmed before doing so coming through the bottoms should not be
a problem. It always fascinated me how just dibbing a hole, trimming the
roots, dropping them in the hole, filling the hole with water they take
and race away. I wish other plants were as easy to plant out!

No problem at all Kathy, as Broadback says trim the roots beefore you dib
them in.

So why do you trim the roots? And how much?

As I trim the roots, I let them rest in a bowl with some water and a couple
of drops of SM3 fertiliser, you could use tomato food, to stop them drying
out and give them a good start.

However i would sow some more Mussleburgh about now, and you should be able
to plant them in August (ish). That way you will have fresh leeks in
February and March when there isnt much else!

This works here anyway, at the top end of Wirral where the winters are
relatively soft, but in Mussleburgh, where they come from, they can have
REAL winters!

John

--
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"mogga" wrote in message
...
m in.
|
| So why do you trim the roots? And how much?
|

I'm interested in the answer to this too. Can I add a question to this -
how far apart should they be planted? I have a raised bed that's long and
thin 2m x 0.5m, how many do you think I'll be able to get in?

Angela

"Angela" wrote in message
...

"mogga" wrote in message
...
m in.
|
| So why do you trim the roots? And how much?
|

I'm interested in the answer to this too. Can I add a question to this -
how far apart should they be planted? I have a raised bed that's long and
thin 2m x 0.5m, how many do you think I'll be able to get in?

Angela

How far apart depends on how big they are going to grow. This is a function
of the growing conditions and how big you want them or are going to leave
them in!

In a bed:
Six inches apart is normal for most leeks, you can put them closer, or
spread them out to a foot apart if the soil is good enough and you want them
to mature fairly big.
So ou would get, say three rows down your bed, and twelve or fourteen down
its length making about three dozen leeks of normal size.

Sounds tasty!
John

"John T" wrote in message
...
|
| "Angela" wrote in message
| ...
|
| "mogga" wrote in message
| ...
| m in.
| |
| | So why do you trim the roots? And how much?
| |
|
| I'm interested in the answer to this too. Can I add a question to
this -
| how far apart should they be planted? I have a raised bed that's long
and
| thin 2m x 0.5m, how many do you think I'll be able to get in?
|
| Angela
|
| How far apart depends on how big they are going to grow. This is a
function
| of the growing conditions and how big you want them or are going to leave
| them in!
|
| In a bed:
| Six inches apart is normal for most leeks, you can put them closer, or
| spread them out to a foot apart if the soil is good enough and you want
them
| to mature fairly big.
| So ou would get, say three rows down your bed, and twelve or fourteen down
| its length making about three dozen leeks of normal size.
|
| Sounds tasty!
| John

Thanks John, that's more than I expected, I really don't need oversize
leeeks!

Angela

Angela wrote:
"John T" wrote in message
...
|
| "Angela" wrote in message
| ...
|
| "mogga" wrote in message
| ...
| m in.
| |
| | So why do you trim the roots? And how much?
| |
|
| I'm interested in the answer to this too. Can I add a question to
this -
| how far apart should they be planted? I have a raised bed that's long
and
| thin 2m x 0.5m, how many do you think I'll be able to get in?
|
| Angela
|
| How far apart depends on how big they are going to grow. This is a
function
| of the growing conditions and how big you want them or are going to leave
| them in!
|
| In a bed:
| Six inches apart is normal for most leeks, you can put them closer, or
| spread them out to a foot apart if the soil is good enough and you want
them
| to mature fairly big.
| So ou would get, say three rows down your bed, and twelve or fourteen down
| its length making about three dozen leeks of normal size.
|
| Sounds tasty!
| John

Thanks John, that's more than I expected, I really don't need oversize
leeeks!

Angela


How much to trim? Think of going to a hairdressers and having a trim,
obviously depends on length to start, just snip the ends of unless the
roots are very long, in which case take a little more off.

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Please reply to group,emails to designated
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