Going for a leek

Last Saturday I braved blizzard conditions to cross the Pennines and in to Lancashire to collect my leeks,

and also the ones that had been ordered by mediocre veg grower Simon umpa lumpa Smithyveg.

 As usual they were purchased from Dave Metcalfe and are his own strain called the Pendle improved, these leeks performed very well for me last year despite a few going to seed. Dave's greenhouse was crammed with leek and onion plants and just inside the door were some larger plants I was informed that these were his new variety and no one would be getting any this year until he knows if they are any good I now have 24 leeks from Dave plus another 30 of my own Pendle improved cultivated from the ones that went to seed.It will be interesting to see how mine perform along side Dave's.

Dave's new variety

Baby leeks in Dave's Greenhouse

Mine and Umpas Leeks safely home

My Leek plants doing ok

 Also my Onions are coming along nicely the giant Peter Glazebrook  ones have 3 true leaves

I have also got 30 Kelsae plants now potted on and have sown another sowing today. This is  to ensure I have plenty to go at .

I will also be sowing Vento in the next few days as soon as I have room, when Smithy collects his leeks next week.

I would also like to wish everyone who reads this a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

Lux (not the soap kind)

In reply to Dan Undsworth's comment regarding lux meter, I purchased said item last year from said auction site and have found it useful in gauging the amount of light the plants are receiving,as you can see in the photos mine are getting approx 2500 lux which is more than enough. Anything over 1800 is good according to the so called experts who knows? but it worked for me last year and if it aint broke don't fix it  Linda still has no voice :-) don't worry she does not read this unlike other peoples wives lol.

As can be seen from the picture the sensor is on a retractable cord
 allowing the user to check the light intensity at the back

An Enlightening Moment and more

This week I replaced a couple of my grow light bulbs, one had a couple of loops that did not light and the other was a smaller one than the others. I find the best and cheapest place to get these is on ebay. I did however have one arrive damaged it was well packed and factory sealed meaning that the seller had no idea of the damage.This bulb was replaced by the seller without question. I also got a second one with the repacement and both are now installed and working fine, the only problem is that they are a lot brighter than the other which are now 2 years old I may get another couple and then I will have new ones in all my lights, if anyone is interested the link to one being offered by the same seller is below.
GROW LIGHT BULB 
If you  are using them for Onions or Leeks you need the Blue light spectrum this is for Propagation & Vegetative Growth The Red ones are for flowering and fruiting.

My Medwyns seed order arrived this morning all present and correct and I now also know that gyda chyfarchion means with complements. I ordered some old favourites plus a few new varieties, the list is as follows I have created links to each product 
Reselected Exhibition Variety - Stenner - a re selection from Enorma.  3 packets 
Carrot Sweet Candle                                                                               1 Packet
Sunset Cauliflower Yellow                        For a special class locally   1 Packet
Evening Star Celery                                                                                 1 Packet
Piccolo Courgette                                        For Trugs                            1 Packet
*NEW* Egery F1 Lettuce replaces Sandrine                                        1 Packet
Countess Parsnip                                                                                     1 Packet
Goldstar (Re Selected from the original F1 hybrid)                              1 Packet
Vento Onions for the 250g class                                                             1 Packet

The first of the Kelsae are just poking through the compost more should now follow

The Christmas tree has also gone up this week, only 4 weeks and we can get it down again and get back to norma.l I am looking forward to it as Harley will be more aware this year, and I think I am getting the latest Pink Flloyd CD if I behave till Christmas, another plus this week is that Linda has lost her voice heaven. 

The latest batch of Leeks have developed a great root system and are now in 3" pots.