Leeks & Shallots

Well I've finally made a start to my 2013 season.  I planted my show shallots on the 23rd of December. I've got 16 potted up in 6 inch polypots and the remaining 8 are in 4inch square pots.  I already started some away that were producing green shoots but I'm not holding out much hope for them.

These will sit in an unheated green house and hopefully take root and I'll plant them up into 25ltr feed buckets, 3 to a bucket.   this is the first time I will have tried this method so will probably only do 4 buckets and plant the rest out in my onion bed.

Here are some leeks I've started away.  The 9 on the right of the plant label were pips |I started off of a head I received from Sandy Robertson from Rothiemay.  The other six are seeds from a variety called Snowdon.  These were all started at the end of October so we will see how I get on with them.

Here are some Leeks which are further on that I got from David Metcalfe, the breeder of "The Pendle Improved" leek.  I got these leeks on the 19th of November and potted them up right away.  Unfortunately the sulked a fair bit on potting up but are now starting to grow on. They are about 10inch tall and are starting to root right down to the bottom of the pots.  They are all getting 12 hours under my T5 lights and the temp is being kept as close to 55 degrees as I can.  They are also being sprayed twice a week with SB plant invigorator.

As you can see my own started leeks are behind the Dave Metcalfe leeks but were started later.

My good friend Helen has started some Leeks for me and I'm hoping to get them this Friday.  along with another 12 or so from another friend Neil  I'm hoping to get myself another light so that I can make sure they are all growing on well.