Monster leek & marrow variety reccomendations needed

[Tinkie_Bear]

Hello,

Hubby daft, beer fueled challenge for next year is to grow a monster marrow for the August competition and a monster leek for the October competition, does anybody know what varieties would be best?

Also any hints / tips would be appreciated.

I am treating this as just another excuse to buy more seeds !

Thanks in advance.

Helen

[Tinkie_Bear]

[saddad]

Which sort of Monster Leek?  Pot Leeks are fat and stumpy or are you after length of stem? Robinsons are the seed company for "Giants"
www.mammothonion.co.uk/
;D

[Tinkie_Bear]

They usually have 3 caterories for their August competition - Longest, Fatest & Ugliest so I guess I will need a couple of types of seed.

Thanks for the link, I feel a shopping spree coming on!

[5rod]

Hi
www.mammothonion.co.uk orwww. medwynsofanglesey.co.uk
all very nice pepole. lots of help.
             LOTS OF LUCK 5 ROD

[davyW]

You don,t know what you have let yourself in for they are a pain in the but.
First of you don't want seed you need young leeks from leaf, check the local adds paper as leek growers usually advertise them for sale or ask about if anyone knows who sells them.
Failing that go here www.medwynsofanglesey.co.uk  For blanch leek you want The Pendle.  For pot leek you want Yorkshire Greens or Cumbrians.
You also need multi purpose compost with Admire in it.

Now the fun bit, You need a well ventilated polly tunnel with trenches.
Dig out a trench 18" deep, you then lay 4" of well rotted manure generously sprinkle on Fish Blood and Bone, Sea Gold and Early Bird cover that with 2" of soil and repeat 4 times, then top off with 18" of riddled soil.
Sterilise with diluted Jaye's Fluid one capfull per 2 gallon of water 4 weeks before planting and cover with black plastic to warm the trench.
Planting Out. Water in with 1 gallon of water, let the leeks stand for one week, then one gallon  per leek every day at the same time every day.
You also need should also have Admire to prevent Fusarian disease, Dymex for Red Spider Mite and Topper to treat for rust
The cost approx to get started £60. After all this and the effort you put into it they go to seed before the show.
WELL YOU DID ASK  LOL

[Tinkie_Bear]

OMG Davy - this is just a bit of fun at the pub, my hubby and his drinking buddies grow something different every year, this year was parsnips and pumpkins.

I have no intention of letting him take it that seriously !  I have seen baby leek plants advertised but they are very expencive - as it's just for fun will seeds not be OK?  Would leeks need to grow indoors, greenhouse space is very precious.

Thanks very much for your information, you have filled me with dread at what this next year is going to bring!

Helen x

[dtw]

I've never had much luck growing leeks or onions from seed.
They just get to the single 'leaf' stage and then just stop growing.
They don't die off, they just stay like that.
I'm growing them in normal shop bought compost.
I've tried at various times of the year too.

What am I doing wrong?

[davyW]

Hellen,     Its not a problem to grow a decent size leek, but there is a few requirements one being a heated greenhouse and i do recomend you buy your leeks in. Where i live the usual price is £1 per leek, but if you are going to do it by seed you will need to get them in as soon as possible, i cant recomend any seed.
So whatever you decide let me know and i will tell you how to go on.

[davyW]

I've never had much luck growing leeks or onions from seed.
They just get to the single 'leaf' stage and then just stop growing.
They don't die off, they just stay like that.
I'm growing them in normal shop bought compost.
I've tried at various times of the year too.

What am I doing wrong?

I don,t know what  to go you are doing wrong cos i don,t know what you did.
This is what i do for my pot leeks ( not show leeks )
I use an 8" plant pot that has a greater depth, fill it to within 2" of the top ( compressed ) and moisen it. Then sprinkle about 20 to 30 leek seeds over the surface and cover with about a quarter inch of compost, firm down and moisten.  I place a sheet of glass over it and place a few sheets of news paper on top to exclude the light. i then wait for the leeks to appear and then remove the glass and paper. There is no need to water during this period as the condensation off the glass will keep the compost moist.
Now that the leeks have poked their heads out i only bottom water by standing the pot in water to let the compost absorb the water and try and force the roots down and feed with Chempac No2  once a week using the same method.
This also applies to my seed onion.
I do one pot a month so my leeks are always on going
I don't go for the individual module thing, it means potting on all the time and takes up to much room.
Hope this helps