Great video, Susan!! We are SOOO excited our Little Dibby tool worked for you and THANK YOU so much for trying it out!! Also, we've added the "Bulgarian Giants" leeks to our shopping list! Thank you!
I like the idea of your dibby tool, however I think a great improvement would be to make those measuring rings different colours so that you can more easily tell how deep you've placed it in the soil. Like 1/8" Red, 1/4" Orange, 1/2" Yellow etc. Would be easier for us folks who have a harder time seeing. =)
@@Rosearion Great suggestion! Thank you and it is one we have considered, but our 3d-printing production capacity limits us to one color at a time. Since you mentioned it here, we are starting to brainstorm on ways to make the different colors happen in the future! Thank you for letting us know!
I never grow leeks or used them, thank You for inspiring Me to grow them this year. I order leeks today and the little dibber.. Thank You for the information. Love Your channel..
I winter sow my leeks, no lights needed. 1 jug can hold dozens of seedings. I use the dibble method to plant the little threads that disappear down the hole. I should try your giant leeks, but I'll probably have to start them early inside because of the long growing time. It's so satisfying to make a big pot of soup with leeks, garlic and potatoes from the garden!
Thank you for posting I was getting discouraged when I saw the grow lights, which I don't, (and won't be able to) have. Last year I tried the winter sowing method. Only the March seeds worked so that only gives me from March 15 to September/October to grow. Zone 5, Ontario Canada. The leeks I grew last year were still pencils by fall, but they didn't get much sun where they were. Maybe I'll try some in our new raised garden bed this year. Thanks again for those encouraging words.
@@wendyburston3132 I'm zone 5b in Michigan, so kinda nearby. My leeks were smaller this year, I blame the cool summer. Yes, try them in the new bed, they like full sun. Good luck!
I have more sunny space to garden in this year and I'll be starting more seeds indoors, so the Little Dibby tool will really come in handy. Thanks for sharing about it. And it was great to learn about the No Damp Off too.
Hmmm, that's a thought. Will keep it in mind, although I've been growing leeks for so long, I think I'll be able to compare this new method with how all the other seedlings have grown for me.
Suggest you get or make flexible paper tubing material, like a paper towel tube, then wrap around leeks once they start to need burying to maintain white stalk. Since you don’t bury, yours stay green in much of areas that can be white and delicious. It works and is a great method.
That's terrific! I think you'll really enjoy growing them. Thanks for letting Sean and Allison know you saw the Little Dibby in my video! They are super nice folks.
Susan, I've been growing a garden for years, but I've never planted leeks before. I'm going to take your advice and give them a try this year! I hope that you and Bill have a healthy and Happy 2022! ~Margie
Those are some gorgeous specimens. I’ve wondered about how early British gardeners start seeds and plant out but I always figured it was just because their climate is more mild than mine. I’ll be interested to see how this works for you! Also, nice intro song update.
I am a new gardener in Arkansas. I ordered some leek seedlings this year and they just arrived. I will try planting from seed next year. I have also been watching English gardener's videos on planting leeks and am going to give that method a try. Thanks for all the info and encouragement you share! It is very helpful.
We are in the northeast and grew leeks last year but ended up with the onion maggot larvae in many of them. Bought a bolt of tulle and will try your method of covering the row with netting. Will see if the mesh is small enough to keep the fly out.
I don't know if I would use tulle for that, just to be on the safe side. The openings in tulle vary quite a bit and those flies might be able to get through the tulle.
@@SusansInTheGarden Thanks! Maybe I'll get some floating row cover and save the tulle for the brassicas. I did buy the "premium" and hope the openings are small enough for more than just the cabbage moths. P.S. Got your book for Christmas. It's great and I plan use the directions to make a bunch of hoops to hold up the row cover and tulle.
Just bulk seed them heavily over any fairly deep container with normal potting soil and keep the seed moist until germination, and then water regularly. Leek roots are easily pried apart from soil and then planted, or soaked in water and pried apart. This is to ensure enough will germinate to plant, and they are easily separated with virtually no transplant shock. Then, just poke a 6 inch hole into soil with a dibbler and plop the plant in and then just water it in, don't press soil back into the holes, just let it fill over time via watering. In time, as each plant grows, hill the rows up a little. I've been planting my leeks this way for decades.
@@mingli6753 Hi, Ming Li. In the past, I started my leeks in Feb. but this year I started them in early Jan. They will be about 3 1/2 months old before I transplant them.
Hi Susan , Happy New Year to you and your family. Thank you for the leek show , My leeks did not grow well last year. This year I will try again in a new spot that the leeks might like better.Thank you for having us along....
in montreal canada... i will have to cover them... the leeks flies ruined my crops this year. but i saw that method from british also i will try it! happy new year!
I just ordered leeks today so this is perfectly timed! Thanks so much! The seed packet says 120 days, which would be mid-May. Does that fit with your experience? I'm a new subscriber and am enjoying your videos, thank you!
No, I would definitely rotate them on a 3-year basis, where you don't grow members of the allium family in the same place for 3 years. And the same applies to all vegetable plant families. I have a video that explains the process in more detail: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pzs36KdV2cA.html.
Well, I wasn't expecting that question, LOL! I actually bought it in a store in France ages ago and am crazy about it. It has a border of dogwood flowers, which is gorgeous. It has faded and shrunk over the years but I still love it.
Those are huge leeks! I see you are starting your seedlings in what appears to be a warm room in your home (not a basement) and that you are not using a heat mat. Is the ambient air best for leeks if it is warm? I tried to start mine in an unfinished basement with a heat mat and lights last year and had no germination success. Thanks!
@@SusansInTheGarden Thank you, I will try without a heat mat this year. I have always bought seedlings and transplanted them by using a dibber and it works every time. Good luck with yours!
I gave a quick update on the leeks which will appear near the end of my newest video that will go live tonight (Thursday) and hope to plant them next week, so that would be the topic provided the weather cooperates! Thanks for asking.
