I have grown leeks last 5 years.For some reason we start april first under lights and move in and out of house for a month.I plant in container circumference of a average bucket and usually-may 1- plant the leeks in the garden-without container.let grow in the clump and when they are about as thick as pencil-another month-seperate from clump and plant every 4 inches in garden.We have never trimmed the leeks back-but this is my first year with onion seeds and we do trim onions to 3 inch.I still have about a hundred from may31 2008 final planting-and they are delicous.We planted some in sept.2008 and they are about 3/4 inch circumference and growing.I am going to start some tomorrow as they are very hardy and i have time.

Yes trim them to about 3" when they start to fallover. harden them off some before you plant them outside. I plant mine outside the end of april or first of may depending on the weather and then hill dirt up around them as they grow. YOPPER