Wednesday 10 June 2009

I've Sprung A Leek!


These are the leeks - Carlton F1 which I sowed at the end of March. They're just about ready to be planted out, but they will have to wait a little while longer as they are going to go in the bed where the potatoes are, once they have been harvested. Alot of people sow their leeks in cell trays, but I have found that sowing them in deeper plant pots is better if they are going to be hanging around before being planted out. Their roots do get a little tangled doing it this way, but so long as they're well watered before being tipped out and separated it doesn't cause any problems. A deepish hole should be dibbed in the soil and the leek placed into the hole. Instead of backfilling the hole with soil as you generally do when planting something, you just water well and then leave. As the leek grows the soil will fill in the hole itself. Remember to plant deep so that the soil will blanch the part below the ground and you end up with more of the leek being white than green.


The strawberries are coming thick and fast now much to my daughter's delight. The plants were bought at the back end of last year, so they're doing really well for their first year. Because of all the sunshine we had in May followed by heavy rainfall, the weeds in the strawberry bed have threatened to overtake the strawberry plants, so the bed has now been given a good weed and it's all spick and span again allowing lots of light to get to the strawberries to ripen them.


At last the sweetcorn has been planted out. I have followed my plan which I posted about earlier and have planted up a two sisters bed. A courgette plant and a squash plant are in the same bed as the sweetcorn, so we will have to see how they do.


The potatoes have been earthed up again. They're putting on lots of growth, so I hope things underground are going just as well. They were planted on 11th April, so they should be ready around the end of June or beginning of July.


I have flowers on my peas now and the pods are just starting to form so it won't be long before they'll be ready to pick. I have a follow-on crop which I have planted at home in toilet roll inners so they will be going in shortly.


As mentioned in an earlier post, I have planted runner beans and climbing French beans at home and they're all through now. The wigwams for them to climb up have already been built at the allotment so again, they will be going in shortly.


The lilies which I planted in the flower bed at the allotment are all through and growing well. I love lilies so I'm looking forward to being able to cut them to bring home for the house. They will certainly brighten up my room!


12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 10, 2009

    I love lillies too! I had some gorgeous long stemmed pink single flower ones last year, that I grew in a pot and then cut them for a vase for the house - they were gorgeous! This year they are multi headed, but haven't yet burst forth - just waiting for them!!! Cat @ Manor Stables

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  2. When I saw the title I thought you'd had a disaster with your pond! Such a relief to read otherwise. :D

    It sounds as though everything's doing really well for you, Jo, and you must be really pleased that all your efforts are beginning to pay off.

    G x

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  3. I have lilies in pots in the garden too. I can't bring myself to cut them for the house though, so this is why I've created a flower patch at the allotment. Hopefully, I'll get some blooms for the house.

    No, the pond is doing fine Georgie. The plants have filled out and it's starting to look more established. Everything at the allotment looks to be doing well, but as they say, the proof's in the eating. As we're only eating strawberries yet we'll have to wait and see!

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  4. Your leeks look fab. Mine are growing away ok in the deep bed, but not as well spaced or as big (last time I looked) as yours in their comfy pots!

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  5. Damn I hit the button before I'd finished...
    I hadn't thought of planting them in after the potatoes, that's a good idea to maximise limited growing space. Thanks!

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  6. I love lilies too.Just a shame the flowers finish so quickly.The leeks look great.Clare

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  7. I've always found leeks to be really unfussy plants to grow. It says to wait until they are pencil thickness before planting out, but I've planted them out much thinner than that before and they have done ok. Similarly, I've held them in pots for quite a while before planting out, and again they've done fine. I thought I would save space at the allotment and plant out after the spuds have been dug up, that way I'm using all the space available.

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  8. I enjoyed looking at your posts about gardening on an allotment. I hope your lettuce is doing well in your pots. I would prefer it close by, too, in order to wash it right after picking.

    Sue, from Nebraska, who is inside due to rain

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  9. That should have read from Nebraska, U.S.

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  10. Jo, sounds like all is well in your world. Just reading about your allotment makes me smile. Thanks, once again for sharing.
    Kat

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  11. I agree with with you - bigger pots are def much better for leeks. They grow better and make transplanting much easier. I'm going to get mine out this week.

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  12. Thanks for visiting Sue. We've had a lovely sunny weekend here, I'm sorry that you've got rain there.

    Thanks for your lovely comment Kat. I'm pleased that you enjoy reading my blog.

    I don't think my leeks will be going in quite yet Liz. They'll have to wait a bit longer until the spuds have been dug up!

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