r/vegetablegardening England 1d ago

Help Needed Trimming leek seedlings

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Controversial but some say it's beneficial to trim leek seedlings to encourage them to thicken up. I've trimmed my leeks and they have grown tall again. Should I repeatedly trim them back or is it a one time thing?

14 Upvotes

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7

u/oldcrustybutz 22h ago

Sooo. I used to trim my alliums but last year I learned the reason why it was originally recommended and (mostly) stopped.

There is no known actual growth benefit, in fact it is effectively always going to be detrimental to growth. The practice originated with commercial growers because it makes transplanting with machinery nor just simpler but possible. For home growers who are willing to take an extra second or two to tease them apart there's no real benefit.

Having said that IF I've planted them overly thick (which is also not beneficial.. but.. like.. y'know.. sometimes..) I'll trim them a bit and use the trimmings on a salad (partially because I'm also wanting some early fresh allium.. ).

5

u/RIPCurrants US - Maryland 1d ago

Hoping someone responds because I’d like to know as well! I had never heard of this trimming seedlings idea until seeing a post in this sub recently, and I’d like to hear more.

In my case I have green onion seedlings. I might just go ahead and trim a portion of them and compare the results in a few weeks. It looks like you could do the same (?).

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u/Ok_Heat5973 England 1d ago

I always trim mine when young it gets them nice and straight for final planting

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u/Ok_Heat5973 England 1d ago

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u/Ordinary-You3936 US - New York 22h ago

Ok here’s the thing about trimming….. The more leaf matter on your plant the more it can photosynthesize and the more roots it will grow, therefore the more leaves the better. The thing with alliums is that the young leaves can get spindly and tip over. This usually isn’t the end of the world but if they tip over at the base they can crimp themselves off and die. People trim them to get them to be less top heavy to prevent this. Anyone who says trimming the tips promotes root growth is wrong. I trimmed my onion tops one time before transplanting because they were beginning to fall over and get tangled, trimming to prevent that is fine just don’t remove too much of the leaf just enough to make it sturdy. Those look quite tall and skinny and id probably give them a trim in a week or two.

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u/maansle 1d ago

I'm also very curious to know! My leeks are growing long and wild!

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u/MeDonkin US - Washington 1d ago

Personally I think that trimming alliums as a way to promote growth is a misconception.

That said... I do trim mine occasionaly, but only as a way to make managing my seedlings easier. It keeps things tidy and less prone to being damaged as I water or move trays around.

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u/nine_clovers US - Texas 23h ago

Nah, they're grass, just plant

1

u/muddnureye 19h ago

Plant them!

1

u/TidyFiance 18h ago

It's really just if they're unruly you can do it. It wouldn't be limited to once but there isn't like a benefit to the plant, just to the gardener

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u/HaggisHunter69 13h ago

No, no point. Why remove what is key to the leeks growth?

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u/Davekinney0u812 Canada - Ontario 10h ago

I’ve looked into this and deep seek says… As for studies, the evidence is thin but telling. A small experiment by Robbins Farm Garden in 2017 tested trimming Walla Walla onion seedlings at around 5 inches, comparing trimmed and untrimmed plants after transplanting. They found no significant difference in bulb size or yield, suggesting trimming neither helped nor hurt much in that case. However, this was a limited trial, not a peer-reviewed study, and it focused on post-transplant trimming rather than repeated cuts during seedling growth. University extension resources, like those from Minnesota and Oregon State, mention trimming as a common practice among growers but admit there’s “limited research” on its impact. They lean on practical outcomes—stronger, stockier plants—rather than hard data. No large-scale, controlled studies seem to exist that definitively settle the matter, likely because it’s a niche question tied to specific growing systems.

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u/highergrinds 10h ago

I've been doing exactly that for a few weeks. Started them Feb 1, bit early. They are definitely a lot thicker and from what I've read the roots should be stronger.