Why do we cut leek tops and roots when planting?

[Salmo]

I came across this question in an ancient posting so I thought I would start again.

The only reason to cut leek roots that I can see is to get them down their holes more easily.

If you do not cut the tops when planting the worms will grab the tips and pull them into the ground. As the leek grows the leaf will pull off and distort the plant. With small plants they may be pulled sideways or completely out. Slugs will also chew leaves on the ground.

[DD.]

Trimming the leaves means the plantlet loses less moisture through transpiration whilst making root again.

[senrab_nhoj]

If you do not cut the tops when planting the worms will grab the tips and pull them into the ground. As the leek grows the leaf will pull off and distort the plant. With small plants they may be pulled sideways or completely out. Slugs will also chew leaves on the ground.

Was this a guess or badly informed advice?

 :?

[Oscar Too]

I must have planted thousands of leeks when I was working ofr a commercial grower.  We didn't cut anything, except corners.

[DD.]

I must have planted thousands of leeks when I was working ofr a commercial grower.  We didn't cut anything, except corners.

Us amateurs have the time to do it properly!

[richyrich7]

The only reason to cut leek roots that I can see is to get them down their holes more easily.

I'm of the opinion that cutting the roots has two benefits/reasons

1) and the most obvious is your answer, but probably not the most relevant.

2) roots are like stems if you cut them they branch. Bearing in mind that the roots that do the work are the really fine ones the roots hairs. so if you have more branches on a root system typically you will have more roots hairs = greater surface area of root to absorb water and nutrient.  

Like I say it's just an opinion.

Trimming the leaves is as DD. says reduces transpiration rate on the new transplant.

[PinkTequila]

I don't think it makes any difference. Sometimes I have trimmed some to see but can't tell the difference. Always get a good crop whatever I do!

[vegmandan]

Just to put my two penneth in.

Earlier this year I wondered why people did this too, so this year I trimmed half my leeks tops and roots and left the others untrimmed as usual to see if there would be any difference,and now I have a leek bed with evenly sized leeks,whether trimmed or not.

So In my experience this year,It didn't make any difference at all to the size of mine. :?

[Quetzal]

When we planted our leeks out, we didn't really understand the instructions so we just replanted them, without trimming or putting them as deep as you're supposed to.

We now have leeks with very long fronds growing all over the place. Would it be ok to trim the fronds back now, since they appear to be growing more leaf and less leek, if you see what i mean?

[vegmandan]

I don't think there's any benefit in trimming back the leaves now once they're established plants,It's only done when planting small plants out ,as said above to reduce transpiration whilst they re-root.

I'd just leave them be and earth up around the stalks to get a better blanched stem.