Leeks and Leaks

I was out in the paddock fixing a leak the other day when I thought of all the tricks I use

to grow great leeks.

Its easy when you know how, and remember to apply the techniques.

Here are some leeks I grew from seed. I plant leeks all year round here.

They take a while to mature and it is essential that I keep planting so as to keep a constant supply for sale.

I push holes in the garden bed with the handle of the rake as deep as I can.

The ground can be so hard I have to dig it over first to get the rake handle in.

Then shake the dirt off the roots of the leeks you prepared earlier, or bought.

Seperate the leeks

do this by gently tugging each individual plant free of the root mass.

With all seedlings be careful not to crush the stem.

Don't worry if you pull some of the roots off in the process, they will grow back.

If you pull all of the roots off you may not be so lucky!

Place the leek in the prepared hole.

No need to back fill, this will happen over time. The only down side to no back fill is that it is easy for birds to come along and undo all your great work, pulling out the leeks without so much as a tug.

I have gotten used to not back filling.

These leeks are self sown from last years crop in this circle bed,

I might transplant them soon as the chooks are coming onto this bed in the next dome move.

Once the leeks are well settled in I then mulch them heavily with horse poo.

This in effect plants them deeper and increases the white stem of the leek.

This idea was trialed successfully last year and I nearly forgot to apply this simple but effective technique

this year.

I have planted leeks in a couple of circles.

Generally in the doughnut depression so their leaves do not interupt the

wateringof the other veges in the circle.

Circle garden beds are a bit of a challenge from a watering perspective.

It has taken me a couple of years but I am finally succeeding.

Back to the paddock leak.

Michael had a lot of help gluing the pipe back together again.

Black puppies can disappear into the shadows very easily,

Stella was a bit tired after the third walk out into the paddock.