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Weeding Leeks

pendeenpaul1pendeenpaul1 Posts: 1
in Fruit & veg
Hello everyone,

Im a complete novice vegetable gardener and have started a patch this year.  I have sown a row of leeks direct into the soil at the end of April and after about two weeks they began to germinate.  The seedlings are incredibly fine wispy things and now that the weather has warmed and following the recent wet weather, the weeds have consumed the row.  I am nervous about how to properly weed the area as the leeks are still very fine and delicate and difficult to spot.  Hoeing seems a bit scattergun and hand weeding means kneeling on my lettuce lol.  Any ideas?  Other than make bigger spaces between crops next year!   Will the leeks eventually swell and out compete the weed?

Thanks 

Posts

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Hello and welcome @pendeenpaul1 Unfortunately, you have sown your leeks at a time when growth is rampant!  At this time of the year, (end of April) it would have been better to buy a bunch of leek seedlings at the garden centre and plant them.   Leeks should be sown in winter (month depending on your region) and pricked out in March/April (depending on your region).   

    You'll just have to have patience and gently weed your leeks perhaps when they are a little bigger so that you don't damage their roots.   

    Congratulations on your sowing as leeks don't always come up. 
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    PS.  If you are planning a winter garden this year, then the plants should be in the ground now. i.e. cabbage family, carrots and root veges etc.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487

    Another idea @pendeenpaul1 might be to carefully lift (dig up) sections of your row and transfer each into a largish pot.  Once you can identify the leeks from the weeds, and they've grown to about 12 inches tall, dib 12 inch holes where you want them to complete their growing, gently separate the individual seedlings, drop a few pellets of chicken manure pellets into each hole, and then ease the seedlings into the holes, leaving about an inch above ground level.  Fill the holes with water for a few days to keep them irrigated and to wash soil round their roots.  This ensures that a good length of the plant matures below ground and gives you white edible stems.

    Next year......start them off in seed trays or pots to avoid your current problem.

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