I WANT BIG UNS - Leeks and onions, sow now ?

[marcusexeter]

hi all
I always grow tiny little baby leeks - i've got a packet of Autumn Giant 3 - Albana
shall I start off now in cells?

Also I hear that the biggest onions are grown from seed  - is this true?, my sets are always small -
shall I start those off now too?

[marcusexeter]

[kt.]

I cannot comment on growing huge leeks, though the ones I grow are a decent size that I am not disappointed with.  I would wait another 3-4 weeks before sowing leek seeds.  I always grow onions from sets - Centurion.  Planting them 4" apart produces average sized onions,  planting them 6" apart produces onions twice the size.  The 2 pictures show both sizes from planting at different distances:

[saddad]

Size isn't everything... but Robinsons do seeds for "giant" and exhibition varieties...  :o

[tonybloke]

Size isn't everything...   :o

tell that to the girlies!!  ;D ;D ;D

[mummybunny]

tonybloke i dont think size is everything taste is very important lol :P

[littlebabybird]

tonybloke i'm with mummybunny on this one i dont think size is everything, quality is most important  ;D
lbb

[grannyjanny]

Tonybloke you fell into that one didn't you!!!!!!

[tonybloke]

folk with small ones always say that!!   ;D ;D ;D

[pete10]

Robinsons Giant do get big , But they do taste very good , Sow them about now for large ones. :)

[davyw1]

hi all
I always grow tiny little baby leeks - i've got a packet of Autumn Giant 3 - Albana
shall I start off now in cells?

Also I hear that the biggest onions are grown from seed  - is this true?, my sets are always small -
shall I start those off now too?

Growing big onions and leeks come down to what breed they are. The bigger onions Krelse, Giant Fen Globe, Showmaster etc are only availible from seed. to get bigger onions than them then you need to get  the seed or pip from an exibition grower The same aplies to leeks.

My State of plat at the moment
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[pete10]

Davy have to say all looking good , How do you source the Pips you mentioned.

[carolinej]

 davyw1...that's just not fair!! >:(

I thought I was doing really well to get some seeds planted yesterday ::)

I have to admit that I dont get very big onions from seeds. I tried Bedforshire champion. The few I put in the greenhouse were nice and big, but the ones outside were smaller than the sets I put in (cant remembe the name, but not giant ones)

cj :)

[Tee Gee]

I always grow tiny little baby leeks -

Can you tell me why?

i've got a packet of Autumn Giant 3 - Albana
shall I start off now in cells?

These are a summer and autumn variety, and yes I would start them off now if only to get them to a decent size before planting out after the frosts have passed.

I won't go into leek growing here because it is a big subject other than to say there are basically three types of leek namely; Blanch,Intemediate and pot! and each require there own particular methods of growing.

Then you have to consider early/ late & winter hardy varieties.

Also I hear that the biggest onions are grown from seed  - is this true?,

Basically Yes! and this is another big subject but as others have already said it generally comes down to the variety and indeed the strain, and you rarely if ever will get the latter from a seed catalogue.

my sets are always small - shall I start those off now too?

I am not sure what you mean here ??? Do you mean the resulting onions are small or the setts themselves?

I see no advantage of starting them off now I would wait till you are sure the ground has started warming off otherwise they might just rot away!