Rhubarb questions, leek questions

[Anniem]

Hi,

Could I ask a couple of newbie questions please:

Rhubarb questions
I received a crown of Victoria Rhubarb today that I bought from ebay. Its pot grown 2nd year, my question is how much can I pick this year and do I leave the rest on the plant to rot down? I planted it in my border with well rotted manure mixed with topsoil.

Leek questions
I ordered some Leek Blue Solaise seeds yesterday and I should receive them on saturday, can I grow them in a container of some description, as I have ran out of space in my little raised bed. What type of container would be best? how deep should it be? do I start the seeds in modules inside, or sow direct outside? Should i mix some Perlite in with the compost?

Many thanks for your help,
Annie

[zazen999]

Leek questions

I ordered some Leek Blue Solaise seeds yesterday and I should receive them on saturday, can I grow them in a container of some description, as I have ran out of space in my little raised bed. What type of container would be best? how deep should it be? do I start the seeds in modules inside, or sow direct outside? Should i mix some Perlite in with the compost?

Many thanks,
Annie

Grow them in pretty much any container, and as long as they don't dry completely out, they will sit there until last summer - and they can then go into the space that is vacated by your other crops. They will then grow over winter and be a lovely dish through to now.

You can succession plant them on, so as soon as you have a little space, pop 3 or 4 in; and when it comes to harvest you will have a range of sizes and can choose the best to eat first - leaving the others to grow on.

[Snadger]

Grow them in pretty much any container, and as long as they don't dry completely out, they will sit there until last summer - and they can then go into the space that is vacated by your other crops. They will then grow over winter and be a lovely dish through to now.

You can succession plant them on, so as soon as you have a little space, pop 3 or 4 in; and when it comes to harvest you will have a range of sizes and can choose the best to eat first - leaving the others to grow on.

Good advice zaz.....you're learning!The only small addition I would make is to plunge the pots of 'leeklets' into the soil somewhere (our predecessors would have used an ash bed!). It helps with the watering and also stops the pot getting blown over. Last year I took them out of the pots and planted them direct into the soil in there pot shaped clump. This allows a bit more growth, and they don't sem to mind a slight check in growth when they are eventually transplanted.

[FionaH]

Good advice zaz.....you're learning!The only small addition I would make is to plunge the pots of 'leeklets' into the soil somewhere (our predecessors would have used an ash bed!). It helps with the watering and also stops the pot getting blown over. .

Great plan, I got all excited, then remembered that I dont have any space left lol

[Anniem]

Oh, I never thought about keeping the leeks in pots and succession planting them when I have a space in the raised bed.

Thanks for the advice,
Annie

[zazen999]

I would echo Snadger's bit about just shoving them in a corner, but was assuming that you had NO space....if you can slot them in somewhere it really does help with keeping them watered....

[snakeshack]

liking the succession planting idea,someone ran into me with a bike when I was bent over planting leek seeds,now I have a whole pack growing in one flat.
think I will transplant when my first earlies come out