leeks not fattened up

[janeyo]

Hi

This is the first year I have had my leeks at the lottie. Normally by now we have harvested loads from the garden or my nan's where I used to grow and they were nice and fat.

This year I have only just pulled the first ones for Christmas as they are still not very big. They were planted out, pencil thick in late July/ early August. Can't remember variety but nothing I had not grown before. (Mussleburgh I think)

The patch of lottie was overgrown for a couple of years beofre I was given it so it could be lacking in something I guess?

Any thoughts on why they are still small and will they put any more on in Spring?

Thanks

[Snadger]

They'll still taste the same................you just need more!

[binley100]

That's helpful Snadge

Although my leeks are better than last year they're still not big and fat so i too would like to know the secret ........

[cptncrackoff]

..me too, i have one medium sized leek out of 24, all the rest are tiny, much like last year...and probably next year lol

[zazen999]

I imagine it's this weather - they seem to relish the cold and that's when they start to fatten up. It's only been chilly for 3 weeks at most.

[binley100]

Thanks Zaz.....i would much prefer to use just one or two than have to dig up half a row .....

[solway cropper]

Funny about the cold weather zaz. I lifted three leeks today for our evening meal and they were all a good inch or more in diameter. I could swear they were only half that a month ago.

It's been an odd year for a lot of things so I guess we just move on and hope for better next year.

[FionaH]

I blame the weather too. My leeks are half the size they normally are

[chris]

Are they in fullsun too? I found that being in sun, rather than dappled shade made the difference of fat ones, and ones half the size.

[BUFFS]

Hi

This is the first year I have had my leeks at the lottie. Normally by now we have harvested loads from the garden or my nan's where I used to grow and they were nice and fat.

This year I have only just pulled the first ones for Christmas as they are still not very big. They were planted out, pencil thick in late July/ early August. Can't remember variety but nothing I had not grown before. (Mussleburgh I think)

The patch of lottie was overgrown for a couple of years beofre I was given it so it could be lacking in something I guess?

Any thoughts on why they are still small and will they put any more on in Spring?

Thanks

its the same here,put mine out at usual date but its been peculiar weather all year and we had little or no sun after mid august....next year WILL be better....

[Currysniffa]

My leeks were early and they started to split so had to be made into soup in October, they were a good size though and I still have plenty of soup left in the freezer..

[vegnut]

Jeeez, if mine get bigger than an inch thick i'll think it's christmas

[arpoet]

Thin leeks tend to be sweeter and not have the hard cores of the thick ones. The thinkness of my thumb is how i lie em, then i can use all the leek.
Roger

[j r hilton]

I read somewhere that it helps if chicken manure pellets are put in the bottom of the hole when planting. It seems they are hungry plants and need plenty feed. I plan on doing this next year to see if I can get nice fat ones.

[janeyo]

They did have pellets in the holes.
Full sun as it's at lottie and no shade available. Must be the cold like a few have said.