I have put some leek plants in and they are still healthy after a week. Now
do I have to earth them up or trim off the tops as I have been told or just
leave them alone?

"miklol" wrote in message
...
I have put some leek plants in and they are still healthy after a week.
Now
do I have to earth them up or trim off the tops as I have been told or
just
leave them alone?



All I do is to drop them into a hole about 3 or 4 inches deep and 1 inch
diameter. I then top this up with water and, apart from weeding, leave them
completely alone. I've never trimmed the tops or roots and the results are
very good.

Often the leeks seem so small that it is hard to believe they will survive,
but with odd exceptions, often due to moles, there are few losses

David

I used to earth them up as they grow to get a larger white area but I don't
bother now. They are easier to clean if you don't earth them up. Some people
trim the roots and tops but seems a waste of time to me. Each to his/her own
though

miklol wrote:
: I have put some leek plants in and they are still healthy after a
: week. Now do I have to earth them up or trim off the tops as I have
: been told or just leave them alone?

Robert

"miklol" wrote in message
I have put some leek plants in and they are still healthy after a week.
Now
do I have to earth them up or trim off the tops as I have been told or
just
leave them alone?


There are mainly two ways to grow leeks with blanched stems.
Earthing up.
Hole planting.

The former plant their leek seedlings and earth them up as per potatoes.
The latter plant their leek seedlings in holes made with a suitable
implement, pointed bit of scaffold pole with a welded on cross piece for my
foot to stand on in my case. Water is then poured in the hole washing some
of the surrounding soil over the roots.

I'm a hole planter.

Also, whilst on the subject of leeks....Depending where you are in the
country keep an eye out for Leek Moth, if you get it the first sign will be
a row of healthy looking leeks suddenly, almost overnight, looking like
someone has flayed them. (yes it is heartbreaking) Spray with a suitable
chemical immediately making sure it gets well into the center of the plant
where the "maggots" are. The plants will recover eventually but will be
smaller.
Once in your area it will reoccur every year (and attack your onions too).
:-(

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.