Leek gone to seed - can they be used for anything?

[goodolpete]

As per title.
I've been away and am gutted.
Pete

[bario1]

Hi Pete,

I've got the same thing happening to mine, a new one is sending up a flower stalk every day. Apparently if you pull them, slice them in half lengthways and remove the flower stalk all the way down then the rest can be used as normal.
I'm also gutted to see my leeks doing this, I have been nurturing them since February. I don't understand why they are doing it, it's not like we're having a hot dry spell right now!

[teakdesk]

As bario says, the centre will go hard but remove it and the rest is ok to use... just don't leave them too long or they get very stringy!

As to why they are flowering... they basically flower in their second year of growth; ie they expect to start growing in a warm summer and then experience cool temperatures of autumn and frosts of winter before temperatures and light levels increase in spring when they will flower.

I'd guess they were started a bit early and experienced a cool, dark period early in their lives and so think they are in their second year of growth already. However, because they were too immature to flower immediately after the cool period they have had to wait until they have grown and matured a bit more and now they are mature and are now able to flower so they are doing so.

I don't sow mine until much later than February, more like April or May

[planetologist]

>can they be used for anything?
You can also let them go to seed, save them plus some other seeds and participate in
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...cle_76488.html

[Bren In Pots]

I've got the same thing happening to mine, a new one is sending up a flower stalk every day. Apparently if you pull them, slice them in half lengthways and remove the flower stalk all the way down then the rest can be used as normal.

I do the same thing plus the centre stalk goes into my stock making bag in the freezer.

[bario1]

I'd guess they were started a bit early and experienced a cool, dark period early in their lives and so think they are in their second year of growth already. However, because they were too immature to flower immediately after the cool period they have had to wait until they have grown and matured a bit more and now they are mature and are now able to flower so they are doing so.

Interesting... can't remember where I read to start them of so early. Next year I'll hold off. In the meantime, I've got a lot of leeks to eat in the next couple of weeks.

[teakdesk]

Interesting... can't remember where I read to start them of so early. Next year I'll hold off. In the meantime, I've got a lot of leeks to eat in the next couple of weeks.

I suspect you are not alone in starting leeks early as they can be slow growing and need to have got to finished size before they stop growing in late autumn/winter. They stand over winter but don't grow.

I suspect in Edinburgh you get the autumn slow-down earlier than further south where I live and so are tempted to sow earlier. However, I seem to remember Beechgrove Garden planting out their leeks and it was the same weekend I was doing mine. Probably end of June from memory.

[Alison]

>can they be used for anything?
You can also let them go to seed, save them plus some other seeds and participate in
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...cle_76488.html

Although you may very well then be selecting a type prone to bolting.

[Tripmeup]

The flowers are lovely tho...

[Alison]

The flowers are lovely tho...

Indeed, I think all alliums are, I always let my chives flower as they look so pretty.

[bario1]

You can also let them go to seed, save them plus some other seeds and participate in
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...cle_76488.html

I think the ones going to seed are an F1 variety 'Carlton'. Interestingly, none of the 'Musselburgh' grown in exactly the same way have bolted yet - maybe they are better suited to the climate up here?

[bario1]

Just looked up Musselburgh on the T&M website, and saw this:

"Direct sow outdoors at a depth of 1cm (½") from late March to April into a well prepared seedbed, for transplanting to their final positions later on. Alternatively sow leek seed indoors from January to February at a depth of 1cm (½"), in modules using free-draining, seed sowing compost."

That's exactly what I did.

[teakdesk]

I think the ones going to seed are an F1 variety 'Carlton'. Interestingly, none of the 'Musselburgh' grown in exactly the same way have bolted yet - maybe they are better suited to the climate up here?

I should have asked which variety you were doing... I use Musselburgh or ones derived from that original strain and sow outside seed trays then transplant to large trays when big enough to handle and plant out mid June or early July.

Beechgrove Garden were planting Musselburgh I believe.

As I said, I know some people start them early but it doesn't work for me and late sown ones seem to catch up very quickly.

I wonder if F1 variety 'Carlton' is a quick growing variety? I'll have a google to satisfy my curiosity later!

[bario1]

Yes, Carlton is an 'extra early' variety. It says to harvest August-October.

[teakdesk]

Looks like F1 variety 'Carlton' are a quick growing variety that can be harvested in August from a March sowing, whereas Musselburgh are slower and wouldn't be ready until October from a March sowing.

Did you sow under heat and move to cool conditions immediately they had germinated?

If you kept them in warm conditions after germination that could trick them into thinking it was summer and then when finnaly moved to cooler conditions a month or so later they think it is winter and so enter 2nd year flowering mode!