Seed head on leek

[NSB]

Just noticed one of my leakes looks like itrs gone to seed - theres a big flower head forming, should I leave there?

Is it too late or that leek advice pleasex

[Two_Sheds]

my leek flower is bigger than my own head (well, nearly)

I let it go, the bees love it. Then I get lots of little baby leeks to transplant in the spring

[Kitchen Gardener]

I had seed heads on some of my leeks and was told to remove them. I cut them off but I have kept them and wondered about maybe trying to save the seed for next year?

[zazen999]

I had seed heads on some of my leeks and was told to remove them. I cut them off but I have kept them and wondered about maybe trying to save the seed for next year?

Well, how can the seed mature if the head has been cut off? Probably better to ask first next time. They don't usually mature until September or October, the seeds have to be black before you can harvest them.

[Kitchen Gardener]

Whoops! I had cut them off before I thought about seeding, I will let a couple of the others go to seed but throw these away. Thanks, learning all the time by my mistakes.

[Bill HH]

If a leek starts to go to seed and you cut it off will the leek be edible? I have been told they will rot. What causes them to go to seed and how can it be avoided? It seems to me that going to seed is their natural desire in life so how can we ever get any leeks? These and many other questions keep me awake at night, such as how do you get seeds from seedles grapes?

[veggiechicken]

The leek is edible but will have a hard flower stem running through the middle.
Going to seed is a natural process, even for us humans So you eat them while young and tender. First sign of a flower head forming, dig it up and eat asap.
Hope this helps you sleep better, if not a few glasses of seedless grape juice should do the trick

[Mr Bones]

You can also leave the heads until the seeds ripen then cut off with a long stem and use in dried flower arrangements. As long as the parent isn't an F1 variety the seed can still be used for the next crop.

[Shadylane]

If a leek starts to go to seed and you cut it off will the leek be edible? I have been told they will rot. What causes them to go to seed and how can it be avoided? It seems to me that going to seed is their natural desire in life so how can we ever get any leeks? These and many other questions keep me awake at night, such as how do you get seeds from seedles grapes?

They're biennial so they go to seed in their second year. Usually around April unless they get stressed through lack of water, then they may bolt early. You can still eat them just remove the hard bit in the middle.

As for seedless grapes, I seem to remember reading that grapes are often propagated through cuttings, but seedless varieties aren't actually seedless, they just don't have a hard casing so you can't detect the seed when you eat em. Does that help with the sleep?

[Bill HH]

Áll the replies help my insomnia but by bedtime I will have thought up another lot of imponderables.