How to Growing Leeks

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When to Sow Leeks

Plant Out: May to July
Sow Outdoors: March to April

How to Grow Leeks

Leeks are ready to transplant in June when they are about 20cm (8in) high and the thickness of a pencil.
Water well the day before lifting and transplanting.
Prepare the plants by trimming off the root tips.
Make 15cm (6in) deep holes, 15cm (6in) apart in rows 30cm (12in) apart and drop a plant into each hole.
Fill the hole with water to settle the roots. You don’t need to backfill the hole with soil, just let the water settle the soil around the roots.
If you have a lot of plants, try dropping two or three into each planting hole. You'll get smaller leeks but the overall yield should be the same.

Tips for better leeks

To increase the length of white stem it can be blanched by gently drawing up dry soil around the stem in stages, but try not to allow soil to fall between the leaves or you will get gritty leeks.
Water during long, dry spells and weed regularly as leeks hate to be surrounded by weeds.
When you have the made the hole with your dibber, before you remove the dibber from the soil just compress the soil around the dibber slightly and place your hand around the dibber to keep the soil in place so it doesn't fill the hole in as the dibber is removed.
To get your leeks of to a flying start, drop 2 or 3 chicken manure pellets into each hole before you pop the leek in.
I always net mine till well established as birds love to tug at them or eat the green tops.

Category: Recipes

Fagiolini in Umido

This is a great dish to use some of the abundant Green Beans that should be available in the summer months Fagiolini in Umido is an Italian dside dish simply means Green Beans cooked in Tomato.

Irish Stew with Parsnips

Irish Stew with Parsnips
The Parsnips are by no means traditional in this recipe and are optional but my wife loves them so what you going to do?

Pasta with Asparagus and Courgette

Asparagus and Courgette are made for each other in this dish!

Category: The Growing Season

Spring should be here but watch out for frosts!

Sow seed outdoors
Vegetable growing really takes off this month. Chit and plant out second early potatoes in the first half of the month, maincrop potatoes in the second half. It's also time to sow seed outdoors in well-prepared soil.

Jobs to do in May

May is usually one of the busiest months

The soil is warm and the plants growing well. But watch out for a sneaky late frost.

Jobs to do in January

Jobs to do on the Allotment in January
January is generally a very cold month with hard frosts freezing the ground and when the ground isn't frozen it is generally too wet to do much although there are no guarantees with British weather. Looking through my diaries, snow isn't that likely for a prolonged period but you never know.

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