Leeks - few leaves yellowing?

[kathyd]

Hi

I have a few leeks which actually made it through all the neglect and dry weather they suffered before we moved house at the end of July, and I've been leaving them in the ground to pick over the winter. But yesterday I noticed a couple of yellow leaves on one or two of them. What does this mean? Do I need to pick them now? Or are they deficient in something? Or is this quite normal??

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

It's normal for me ~ I'm cutting them and eating them now, yellow leaves in compost

[kathyd]

Thanks Twosheds - does this mean they won't last the winter?

[Two_Sheds]

If you eat them they won't ! (actually mine will, cos I cut them off just below the soil, and they regrow)

[kathyd]

Really? You can do that?? Leave the roots and they'll grow again and give me another leek?! That's fab! I always love a bargain .

I'm going to start eating any that get yellow leaves then, and leave their roots in the soil. What fun

[binley100]

I've done it with cabbage never tried it with leeks ........will do now tho'

[Snadger]

If its just the outer leaves? just pull em off to prevent leek rotting on the stem.

[Bren In Pots]

If you eat them they won't ! (actually mine will, cos I cut them off just below the soil, and they regrow)

I'm a leek newbie so was wondering how much of the leek do you leave behind in the soil ?

[kathyd]

You can regrow cabbages too Binley100? The same way as leeks, by cutting the whole cabbage just below the soil? Or do you cut above the soil?

Snadger - thanks for the tip, I'll try that. I don't really want to use my few leeks just yet if possible - call me a romantic, but I'm really looking forward to being able to pick something from the garden in the depths of winter if I can keep them going that long! At which point I'll cut just below the soil and wait to see what happens .

Two Sheds - if I cut a leek say late November, when would I expect to see regrowth? And would it grow as big as the original, or would it be smaller?

Heh, I'm enjoying this already, good game

[Snadger]

You can regrow cabbages too Binley100? The same way as leeks, by cutting the whole cabbage just below the soil? Or do you cut above the soil?

Snadger - thanks for the tip, I'll try that. I don't really want to use my few leeks just yet if possible - call me a romantic, but I'm really looking forward to being able to pick something from the garden in the depths of winter if I can keep them going that long! At which point I'll cut just below the soil and wait to see what happens .

Two Sheds - if I cut a leek say late November, when would I expect to see regrowth? And would it grow as big as the original, or would it be smaller?

Heh, I'm enjoying this already, good game

To regrow cabbages leave a stem when you cut the cabbage. Cut a 'cross' in the top of the stem. You could possibly get four small cabbages growing from the cross. Deffo works on expensive F1 hybrid 'sweetheart' cabbages and offsets the price of seed to some degree!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Leeks should really be in their prime just now. Leeks like most alliums are gross feeders and to get them to their best, they should ideally be planted in a bed with loads of fym/compost beneath them. If they have run out of food, they will go backwards and yellowing leaves would be a sign of that.

[Two_Sheds]

I like smaller, slimmer leeks so I don't load on the nutrients or give them lots of room. I've planted them in clusters of 2 or 3 a la Zazen, and they're lovely

Cut the stem about 1cm below the soil level: Bren, I don't know how much is left underground because I can't see it But the roots are left, obviously

Kathy, regrowth will come when the leek is warm enough to be regrowing. If we have a mild winter they'll obviously grow more than if it stays cold for weeks & months on end. Don't expect miracles, but give it a go

[Bren In Pots]

Thanks TS I'll be trying this later on in the week.