Grow Your Own Magazine

I planted out my leeks about a week ago and then we had all that rain! They've perked up nicely, but am wondering how often I need to water them? We've been without rain for about 4 days now and the earth looks pretty dry, (on the top at least).

Depends how deep they are-underneath the soil shoud still be moist. Normally you drop leeks into a hole made with an old spade handle. You then fill with water letting the water wash in earth over a few weeks. It is a problem to feed and water long blanched leeks (I am using a seep hose this year) but at this stage they should be fine. We were discussing leek planting recently if you search back through this forum.

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Paul

What am I saying- it was you who started that thread Queen!

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

I know - but I didn't really manage to get my leeks in a hole filled with water - the earth kept falling back in so they seem pretty firmly bedded in now

I was hoping that it wouldn't mean that they would either not grow, or that they would end up being the grittiest leeks known to woman! Sigh, having a bit of a disheartening day today - rust on my garlic and they are all dying back, my cucumbers are failing and my courgettes don't look great. Am beginning to think that I'm only greenfingered in the greenhouse.

If you watered them in when you planted them and they've had rain since, they should be fine. I only water my veg when newly planted or in a really dry spell. The soil should be wet enough and the whole point is to encourage the plants to put their roots down to search for water.