this week on Mark Patterson show we chatted about sowing and growing Leeks, now is very much the time to get leeks sown. Leeks ate very much a long-season crop, sown now they will be ready from end september onwards (first as baby leeks) and left alone will continue to grow into big fellows - harvesting right through the winter until late March. Leek Musselburgh is a good all-round variety and available here, sow the seedling thinly in a traditional seed tray, or 3/5 together in cells
once there 4inches or so high, give the seedlings a wee trim, this will stiffen them up, and allow more airflow between the seedlings and allow more light in about them, reducing thre occuring of fungus on your new seedlings. You will also have to be giving them the 'greenhouse shuffle' ie moving them and turnign them regularly on the benc_h/windowsill. As light levels are low this is an important job to get even growth
When it comes to planting them, just seperate the small seedlings into small bunches of 3/5 if you want to produce tasty baby leeks or individually if you're looking to grow big leeks. Don;t worry abotu the roots so much as you'll be trimming the longer too much as you'll be trimming the longer troots back at the time of planting.
when it comes to planting just make a hole with a big dipper (a rounded bit of wood) or with a trowel and drop the plants in, you'l see the roots have been trimmed. and don't fill the planting hole with soil, just fill the hole with water and then water will settle a small amount of soil over the roots of the little plants.
spacing and planting depth
Make sure the soil your growing your leeks in is well worked, a nice light soil, so mix in some multi-purpose compost amd add a basic fertiliser such as Fish,blood & Bone Meal. Too much goodness and your leeks will go yellow so avoid loads of manure and the likes. the leeks are ready to eat when you want to eat them. | 
bed nicely planted
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