Too late to grow leeks, celery and celeriac?

Hi

I have a very late start on my cool season garden. My greens and broccoli were not sown until the end of last month. I've just recieved some celery, celeriac and leek seeds in the mail. I would like to plant them sometime this weekend in partially shaded area. This is my first year planting leeks, so I have no idea how they do in this region (Stanislaus County, zone 9a/9b). Is it too late? We usually get hot weather (80-90 degrees) starting in late April/early May. Will this be enough time to grow and harvest these crops?

Thank You

I wish I had an answer for you...hopefully somebody up your way may know...I've never grown leeks, celery or celeriac.

Its because we live in warmer areas. Summer comes too soon and warm season crops are just too appealing. Still, I would like to learn how to grow the pricier cool season crops for myself.

Oh, I'm well familiar with your weather...lol....lived in Ceres as a child.

I decided against growing these crops this Spring. Instead, I will plant them in early Fall when I know that they will have the long, cool season they need.

hmmm...I just planted leek seeds yesterday, hoping with all the rain we've been having they will get a good start. Didn't realize they need cool weather. We'll see how they're doing by mid June. Carrots and lettuce are doing nicely right now.
I threw some leek bottoms in the compost pile and darned if they didn't start growing as if they were planted. They must be hardy buggars.
dbailey, I'd give it a try and see what happens.

I think San Diego has much gentler summers than we do here in the Central Valley. So, you may have better luck. My lettuce always bolts by the first of May. So sad! It seems like the time to harvest greens is too short. Carrots are a bit hardier than other cool season crops. They survive the whole summer for me. On the other hand, I have never been able to get cabbage to properly head. It always bolts before the season is over.

Can't complain too much. At least we don't have to contend with snow storms. I have been direct seeding all my crops (even tomatoes and peppers) in the garden by early April for the last few years.

True,our weather in May-June is usually somewhat overcast. We have a slower start on summer and hot weather.

Steve, do you know about the RoundUp next month? Looks like we will have a good group and there's always room for more.

Go ahead and plant the leeks right now, but wait a few months on the celeriac and celery and start seeds indoors.

For the central valley leeks should be sown between Jan and Apr (they're cold hardy so thought of as a cool season crop, but they don't go to seed as easily as lettuce and others). Celery should be planted as transplants in the summer months (just give enough water).

The dates/info is from the CA Master Gardener handbook that UC Coopertive Extension puts out. Its been a really useful tool for me, as I'm a recent transplant to CA (pun intended). :) I've been trying to follow the dates and they're generally really good. I admit I've gotten impatient with my leeks and sow them earlier, but they don't seem to do anything until about this time of year anyway....

Hope this helps!

KaperC.....no, but thanks for pointing it out. Was reading the threads on it. Is it a pot luck and plant exchange? Is this an annual thing? Would love to hear more about it. thanks, Steve

So far we've been managing one in Spring and Fall, Steve. Yes, it is a pot luck. Plants are a bonus. If you have some to share, bring 'em, if not, maybe next time. Some of us are better at cuttings, etc. Seeds and bulbs are also welcome if you're splitting. Mainly, it's people we want! Just post to the main thread if you're coming and I will add your name. Then post to the food thread with what you're bringing - we can make suggestions if you're stumped. If you read the three threads, that should give you a lot of info. They are the ones marked "sticky" at the top of the forum.

Hope to see you there!

Kathleen

Seeing the thread topic if it is too late to grow leeks, I wanted to say absolutely not. To tell the truth I don't really know when is best to plant them, but I just had to share this.I actually have a sign in the display gardens because this plant get so much attention and questions asked. I call it the story of the "Little Green Onion"

The larger plant was planted in the Fall of 2008. It has since produced many babies.

It all started when I was making a salad and had chopped up some small green onions and was going to throw away the end with the roots on it. Well being the gardener I am, I thought why not just stick them in the dirt. So that I did. Not only did the “Little Green Onion” take hold it survived the winter (several now) and shows off ever year with twisted arms and large round flower heads for all to wonder what kind of plant it is or variety of Allium . The answer is it's the "Little Green Onion".

We got down to 13 degrees this winter---didn't phase the "Little Green Onion" still out there showing off.

Dee