Leek seed germination.

[.commander]

I always sow mine in mushroom tubs. They take about 2 weeks to come through. They are a lot further on now than this

Oh and I'm a dibber. Though last year I feel I planted too close together and didn't dib enough.

[Scoot]

Seeds came today so planted 30 of them. Fingers crossed for them.

[Valleyman]

So 6" apart with 12" between rows. What's the 9" all about lol?

9" between leeks if grown in blocks.

6" if grown in rows, with 12" between rows.

Personally I have a leek patch, and stick them as far apart as possible. But given my restricted space it can often be 4-5" between leeks depending on how good I have been at thinning the seedlings down. My feeling is you either get lots of smaller ones, or fewer big ones and the yield is approximately the same. But at this spacing I always need to thin out again and eat early leeks (Not as nice as those left for the first frosts) otherwise rust because awful. At 4-5" spacings they don't have enough air flowing to keep it down.

[Scoot]

9" each way, or 6"" apart with rows 12" apart. Further apart will give thicker leeks. I think they taste better if they are not so fat - you probably get the same finished-harvest-weight either way, so just a question of whether you prefer fat'uns or regular thickness ones.

So 6" apart with 12" between rows. What's the 9" all about lol?

[Kristen]

9" each way, or 6"" apart with rows 12" apart. Further apart will give thicker leeks. I think they taste better if they are not so fat - you probably get the same finished-harvest-weight either way, so just a question of whether you prefer fat'uns or regular thickness ones.

[Scoot]

I might just separate them when they get to a certain size and plant them deeper with a dibber. Save me on the earthing up.

I'll probably just plant them into a bigger pot to start with as your way looks easier actually.

How far apart do they need to be when planted (in their final position) single?

[Kristen]

and when tipped out ready for planting:



plenty of root depth for the young plants. Separated ready for planting - they pass the "pencil thickness" test :

[Kristen]

Lots of ways of growing things, and disagreement amongst gardeners of course

So with that said I wouldn't grow mine the way the YouTube video shows:

Have to grow a single row to have enough soil to earth up. Appears to need a lot of space / width for that reason.

Sowing in modules means they have to be planted out "soon" so can't plant them deep as the plants are too small. That in turn leads to them needing earthing up.

Earthing up will introduce soil into the leaf joints (unless you are very careful, as mentioned in the video) which will make them gritty to eat

The ones harvested had just a couple of inches of white blanched shaft. Far too little for me ... I dibber mine in, as deep as I can make the holes, here's what they look like when harvested - lovely and sweet blanched shaft



Here's the fishmonger's tray that I (painstakingly) sow the seeds in 1/2" apart

[Scoot]

Mmm, impressive leeks there! Makes mine look completely pathetic.

That's what I thought, they look great. It's my first year of growing Leeks and once this new seed arrives, this is certainly the way I shall be growing them.

[Penellype]

Mmm, impressive leeks there! Makes mine look completely pathetic.

[Scoot]

Well I have ordered some more leek seed. The Musselburgh ones.

I shall be planting them exactly the same way as in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Iyd5TWkYY

[Kristen]

I think the format of root trainers is not ideal for raising Leek transplants. They need some depth (more than a seed tray, which they get in my Fish boxes) but root trainers are (I thought?) designed so that deep roots are encouraged and the things then planted out whole? That's not how transplanting Leeks works - they need all the soil removed to get the plant into the hole (or a very deep hole to plant them in sufficient for the rootball AND the full depth of the blanched shaft ... and would need only one plant per cell, otherwise separating them is going to break up the roots anyway)

Olden times the Roots & Shoots were always trimmed. Side-by-side research has shown it makes no difference (I only trim roots if I cannot get them roots down the hole, and leaves if they flop to touch the ground which might transfer fungal infections), so root disturbance on planting is not something that needs care.

[spamvindaloo]

I am doubting that, for example, several seedlings per root trainer will work.

I sowed three seeds per cell with the hope of 2 germinating (or being thinned to 2 if they all germinate). That's 40 cells x 2 and I don't eat a huge number of leeks so it will suit me but might not be suitable for somebody who eats a lot of leeks.

[Kristen]

I think the need growing in a "Nursery bed" at 1/2" to 1" spacing sot hey are not crowded and can fatten up then around June they are planted out by "dibbing" holes and dropping a leek plant in each one (soil removed so the roots go down the hole OK) and then water the hole (which washes some soil in and down onto the roots, don't actually backfill the hole).

In olden times a "Nursery bed" was just a corner of the plot, probably the bit with the finest soil. Nowadays I use a polystyrene box from the fishmonger and I painstakingly sow the seeds 1/2" apart and then just water and occasionally feed them until I'm ready to plant in June.

No need to grow individual plants (e.g. in root trainers), however they do need some space, sot hey are not crowded, otherwise they won't fatten up and they'll be too short for deep dibber holes (in which case you won't get much white / blanched stem when you harvest them) so I am doubting that, for example, several seedlings per root trainer will work.

[spamvindaloo]

Never grown leeks before (never had an allotment before) so don't know what time frame is normal but I bought some Musselburgh seeds from premier seeds this year, sowed them Tuesday this week and they've started coming through this morning.

Bought some root trainers (somebody on here mentioned using them for leeks) and sowed in those.