Bolting leeks

[vixylix]

Hi all,

My leeks are starting to bolt - they were sown this time last year, have been transplanted and are only spring onion size, so I'm not really shocked.

The question is what can I do with them?

Cut the flower stem off? Eat them? Leave them to flower?

Any advice appreciated - thanks

[Lumpy]

Did you sow them for eating, seeds or both?

[roitelet]

They are bi annual plants so it is normal for them to go to seed this time of year. If they are big enough dig them yo and eat them but remove the flower stem first as this has a different taste to the rest. If you don't want to eat them let them flower and save the seed for next year or compost them.

[vixylix]

Thanks both - they were originally for eating but never came to much. I thought about saving the seed but would it just be encouraging rubbish leeks?!

[Kirk]

This is to a leek it's second year and now is the time to flower, get pollinated and spread it's genes around in the form of seed.

It is just doing what it should.

[muddled]

I wouldn't purposely save seed from plants that failed to reach eatable size!

Allium flowers are pretty thugh and adored by bees so, if they aren't in the way, let them flower before composting.
If any volunteer seedlings pop up next spring you might get a headstart and tough little 'field grown' plants always seem to do better for me anyway!

[Containergardener]

I let them flower. I had some in tubs couple or more yrs ago. They bolted and flowered, bees loved them, so now I just leave the pot, if they self seed again so be it.