My leeks are now coming through very slowly. I have a couple of questions:

Are they susceptible to damping off? What do people use now that Cheshunt
Compound is no longer sold?

When they sprout there appears to be two shoots from each seed. I can now see
that the shoot is in fact a loop as one of them has sprung apart. The part of
the shoot which has sprung apart seems slightly yellow. Does this become the
main growing point of the seedling - or does it fall away?

Should I feed the seedlings in any way?

"Judith in England" wrote


My leeks are now coming through very slowly. I have a couple of questions:

Are they susceptible to damping off? What do people use now that Cheshunt
Compound is no longer sold?

When they sprout there appears to be two shoots from each seed. I can now
see
that the shoot is in fact a loop as one of them has sprung apart. The part
of
the shoot which has sprung apart seems slightly yellow. Does this become
the
main growing point of the seedling - or does it fall away?

Should I feed the seedlings in any way?


We plant ours out on our plot in an old water tank filled with compost which
also is what we use for our carrots, needless to say they haven't been
planted yet.
I have had problems with onion seedlings damping off when grown under cover
so will be interested to hear what suggestions others make on that.
Yes it does become the main growing point of the leek or onion (it's a
family trait) and I don't feed until they are straight and grown on a bit.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

In article ,
says...

My leeks are now coming through very slowly. I have a couple of questions:

Are they susceptible to damping off? What do people use now that Cheshunt
Compound is no longer sold?

When they sprout there appears to be two shoots from each seed. I can now see
that the shoot is in fact a loop as one of them has sprung apart. The part of
the shoot which has sprung apart seems slightly yellow. Does this become the
main growing point of the seedling - or does it fall away?

Should I feed the seedlings in any way?

Rather a belated follow up, I've been away for over a month!

I've never had leeks wilt or damp off.

I usually plant in Feb in a 3" pot using usually an all pupose
compost. I put this in a polythene bag in the garage until they
germinate. Then remove bag and let them grow on until I and
they are ready to plant out, keeping watered but not soaked.
(Garage is integral to house, so totally frost proof (unless I
leave to doors open!).

Sometimes I might prick them out into a tray for a while before
planting out. Usually dig a trench of about 3" deep and plant
into a fairly feep dibber hole at the bottom into which I put a
bit of Growmore.


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales