Pull out the plug, dust off the dirt around the roots as far as possible, separate, plant them 2 inches apart, a couple inches deep.

I read somewhere on the innernet by some authoritative figger that the reason that leeks get dirt in them is from splash - and to mulch so there isn't splash.

I'm growing them for the first time this year as well. So we'll compare notes. I stuck mine in 3" - 4" apart. They're still snoozing. I got two bundles from Dixondales, which was 56,780 leek plants.

There is going to be a leek glut.

56,780 leeks??? And how long did you say it took you to plant them? Guess I didnÂt really need to buy any! I could have just stopped by to pick up a dozen of your 56,780 when IÂm back down that way in September! ;-) Sure hope you like leeks!

Regarding my measly couple dozenÂjust to be sure weÂre on the same page....... These things are only about 5" tall now, so do you mean plant them 2" deep for real? The deeper the better as far as IÂm concerned, but I just want to be sure I donÂt kill them.

I will be mulching them shortly after theyÂre planted. I keep mulching my veggie garden with more grass clippings every time I cut the grass over summer, soÂif they growÂthey should be nice and clean.

Thanks for the help,
Skybird

With the shape of their leaves, leeks are more like lilies than onions. Most everything that falls on those flat leaves end up staying there with the plant growing around the debris.

It isn't a huge problem. You just need to pull the plant completely apart after harvest so that the dirt can be rinsed out. To prevent dirt from being splashed onto those big, strapin' leaves, you can mulch or allow the weeds to grow thickly around them - one or the other.

Some folks plant leeks in a trench and draw soil around them to blanch the lower leaves. Loose soil would contribute to splashing problems. Perhaps it would be better to pile more mulch on them as they grow. I don't know, having done neither.

Is there a chance your onions fell over because of a lack of sunlight, Skybird? I've found that in my 3 or 4 years of growing leeks that they actually seem to prefer some shade. Or at least, leeks and onions will tolerate shade quite well. There is a risk of them stretching and flopping.

I've found that both onions and leeks aren't too unhappy with root disturbance. Pull 'em apart, plunk 'em in the ground.

digitS'

I've got allium issues this year. I planted shallots, a couple 'sample' packets, that filled a huge bed. Then I ordered the stuff from Dixondales, and ended up with some astronomical amount per bundle, another bed. Then I got the onions.

Initial *plan* was to have one bed of alliums (aside from the garlic, but thats another story) with some onions for the fall onslaught. Now I got 3 huge beds, plus the garlic. (the garlic, but thats another story)

I still have a bundle of onions I dunno what to do with, or who to give to, or what....

I have unknown alliums. Is anyone good at recognizing them by appearance or taste if I bring one to the swap? I had forgotten that I saw them last year, and when I was digging over my old unproductive strawberry bed I dug up a little ball of small bulbs that were sprouting. I replanted several of them in various locations, and now I have several green stalks. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to eat the green part, dig up and eat the bulb, or just watch for pretty flowers. (The green part is kind of tasty, and the bulbs were pretty small, so maybe it's a kind of green onion?)

Was anything growing there last year, Foxes? IÂm sure I couldnÂt help identify them, but if you leave some bloom and they happen to turn out to be an ornamental, you could possibly compare the flowers to the ones at the link below and try to identify it that way. My guess would be, tho, that you just have some sort of ordinary chives or onionsÂbut then, if they werenÂt there last year, where did they come from!

See you at the swap,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Allium pictures

56,780 leeks? How many kindergarteners did you have to hire to count that out?? And Skybird started this thread?? Anyway, I though I was jumping in with both feet getting fustrated trying to seperate out the onion seed and just dumping them all into a flat. Yikes, Zonks, Zowie and Holy Leeks Batman. Remind me not to visit David at planting time!!

Billie

Re Dixondale leeks, the things are about the diameter of hair, with a 3" dia bundle, and I ordered two. I managed to only plant the big ones, and give away the better part of one of the bundles. They're actually growing pretty well already, while the onions and shallots are sorta sitting there.

I wanted to grow Leeks this year, but kinda lacking in room, if for no other reason than the link below. One of my alltime favs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato Leek soup