New leek plants from old

[BertieFox]

I've just been reading a book ("The Ultimate Guide to Permaculture") in which it is suggested you can cut off a leek plant at ground level before it comes into flower, and that lots of new leek plants will form at the base, which you can then take and plant out for new leeks.

I've never heard this before and some of the other advice in this book is a little dubious (like the advice to plant out carrot tops to make 'new' carrots!) so I'm not sure whether to waste my time with it.

Just wondered if anyone has any experience of propagating leeks in this way, other than the perennial leeks or 'elephant garlic' types of plant?

[veggiechicken]

Leeks do regrow if you leave the rootbase in the ground when you cut off the leektop. I'm not sure that they then form clumps of baby leeks though I'm growing leeks from the rootbases of bought leeks too. Or you can leave a couple to flower and selfseed,.

[zazen999]

All alliums propagate in a variety of ways; that's just one of them.

[BertieFox]

I shall just have to wait and see what happens.

[alldigging]

Does it mention about celery and cabbage stems too?

[veggiechicken]

or how to turn an ordinary cabbage into a perennial one? Yes, I've been experimenting and its worked

[Two_Sheds]

you can cut off a leek plant at ground level before it comes into flower, and that lots of new leek plants will form at the base

I harvest all my leeks and spring onions by slicing them off just below the soil (they regrow). I've never found any of them to produce new plants at the base though.

Maybe the book meant slice the flower head off? That's how you produce leek "grass"