Monday 19 December 2011

Leeks

It's a good job that I've got plenty of leeks at the allotment as it would seem that I'll need to use quite a few at a time as they're so small. It's not the first time that my leeks haven't grown very big. I always start them off in a plant pot, but I think I'm leaving it too late before planting them out. I think I'll try transplanting them earlier next year and see if that makes a difference. This photo was taken a few weeks ago so they may have grown a little more by now.

I shall pop down to the allotment at the end of the week to see what veggies we'll be having with our Christmas dinner. I'm hoping that there'll be home grown sprouts on my Christmas dinner plate, but time will tell.

The weather has certainly turned colder just lately. I know many people in different parts of the country have experienced snow already. I'm starting to wonder if we're going to have a white Christmas again like we did last year.

19 comments:

  1. I think Parsnips will be the only home-grown veg on our Christmas dinner-table, but that's OK because I love parsnips - especially roasted.

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  2. Good luck with your leeks! I'm trying to grow onions and carrots. Our weather is cold, so I cover them at night. We had just a sprinkle of snow earlier in December.
    Merry Christmas!
    Lea
    Mississippi, USA

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  3. My leeks seem smaller this year too. Last year my pot grown leeks were a big success.

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  4. My leeks are about the same size as yours and I planted out early - the ones I sowed in groups seem to have fared better. Small but with longer white stems, more like spring onions really. So if I am making leek and potato soup I need about a dozen plants.

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  5. I don't have any leeks growing but, after reading your post, I'm thinking yet again what a strange year it's been for veg growers!
    (Btw, your lovely parcel arrived today - very exciting! I do like a well wrapped parcel in brown paper, so much nicer than jiffy bags!) Thank you! Caro xx

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  6. I had some leeks. Some were enormous and others much smaller and all in the same patch. I have no idea why this was so. The main problem was I didn't have enough, I've already used them all!! Will work on this supply problem for next year,

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  7. Ours are small too I think the exceptionally dry conditions didn't help

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  8. Fingers crossed fo the home grown sprouts.

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  9. Snap - mine are about the same size!

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  10. We are having our leeks and parsnips on Christmas Day. We gave up on growing sprouts - they didn't grow well and were a fiddle to prepare. I roast the parsnips and fry the leek in butter then add a little grated cheese and brown it off in the oven or under the grill.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  11. my leeks are not doing great this year at all. I hope to have homegrown sprouts for xmas dinner. The ones in the back garden are as good as finished but the one on the allotment are much slower.

    Great blog

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  12. Fingers crossed that you'll have some really tasty vegetables for your Christmas dinner.
    If the weather outlook is correct then it won't be a white Christmas again! Flighty xx

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  13. Oh the joy of having homegrown veggies on the christmas dinner menu.........something I plan on doing next year. x

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  14. "Small is beautiful" Jo - you will just have to eat more of them :) Snow here over last weekend but I think that it's warming up for Christmas. Good luck with your festive harvest.

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  15. I'm with you there, Mark, parsnips are my favourites too. They might well be the only home grown thing on our Christmas dinner plate too, we'll have to see what I find when I take a trip to the allotment at the end of the week.

    Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, Lea. I've got some carrots growing in a container but I don't hold out much hope for them, they've been rather neglected.

    I remember your leeks last year, Kelli, they were great. It shows how things can differ from one year to the next.

    It's interesting to hear that planting out early made no difference to your leeks, Elaine. I'm glad that I've got a good quantity in the ground now, I'm going to have to use a fair few each time I cook them.

    You're welcome, Caro. Glad to hear that the parcel arrived safely, I wasn't expecting it to land until after Christmas so Royal Mail has come good this time.

    It's funny how things can vary so much, even when grown together under the same conditions, Wellywoman. I haven't pulled any of mine yet, though I'm looking forward to tasting them.

    It's been a funny year, Sue. Many things haven't grown as expected, down to the weather conditions, as you say, I would expect.

    I've got my toes crossed too, Shaheen. It would be lovely to be eating home grown sprouts on Christmas Day.

    It sounds like a few of us have small leeks, Su. I hope you planted plenty so you don't run out.

    Your leek recipe sounds delicious, Mum. I might try that myself. Enjoy your leeks and parsnips on Christmas Day.

    Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, The Cookie Jar. Good luck with your sprouts, hope they've performed well enough for Christmas Day.

    I'd quite like a white Christmas again, Flighty, just so long as the snow falls on the day itself and disappears again on Boxing Day. I know my parsnips will be ok for Christmas Day dinner, anything else will be a bonus.

    Good luck for next year, Lily. It's so rewarding to be putting food on the table no matter what day it is, but Christmas Day is rather special.

    Thanks for that, Anna. They say that good things come in small packages too, though I haven't tasted them yet so I can't comment. It's certainly warmer here again at the moment so I don't think we'll see a white Christmas this year.

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  16. Mine are small too since I left mine in the seed bed for too long. But there's always next year when we'll get it right :)

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  17. It's a good job that we get second chances in the next growing season, Tanya. Let's hope we both do better next year.

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  18. Good job!!! It’s a wonderful task you have done.

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  19. Thank you, glass conservatory.

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