Does Perennialization Affect Crop Rotation?

[Bigmallly]

As the title says really:
Instead of pulling Leeks, this year I plan to cut them of at ground level to encourage Perennialization. Would this method eventually rob the soil of the nutrients Leeks need to grow? ..............Would it encourage pests?..........I would as I do every year top the beds up with organic matter/Manure etc..............After all, the Veggies that are sold as Perennial usually stay where they are planted.

[Jay-ell]

I'm doing the same thing with a bunch of leeks I've planted purely for that experiment.

I think it would be the same as growing Welsh Onions/Egyptian Onions/Babington Leeks and plan on lifting them to divide the clumps (as they will multiply at the bulbs - hopefully) after a few years and replanting them in a new spot with lots of oomph incorporated in first.

Also plan on top dressing them when they die back in summer as well as BFB, comfrey, etc in spring/autumn

[Aberdeenplotter]

BM,

Leeks are bi-ennials and will throw a seed head in the second year. I'm maybe missing the point of what you are trying to do here but felt obliged to say

[Jay-ell]

As well as the seed head, leeks will produce baby bulbs at the bottom button which will grow into new leeks. If you cut off the scapes all the reproduction energy goes into these bulbs.

[Penellype]

Yes, if a leek bolts you often get a secondary plant forming at the side, which can grow big enough to eat. I've also found bulblets at the sides of leeks that have been left in the ground until late spring.

[Jay-ell]

I'm planning a perennial leek grow off over the next couple of years to see how various different perennial leeks fair in the garden and the pot. It's going to take a while to bulk the numbers up to a sustainable level for harvest though.

1. Perennialised Leeks (Musselburgh I think)
2. Babington Leeks
3. Elephant Garlic
4. Лук-Слизун
5. Oerprei
6. Poireau Vigne
7. Sand Leek

[veggiechicken]

No 4 looks like Pekinese

[vixylix]

BM, if you're feeding the soil, pests are more your focus - but as you say perennial plants don't move. Then again, it depends how much of a fan you are of leek moths

Maybe you could move the whole bed sporadically, or replant as Jay-ell is doing?

[Jay-ell]

It's Russian - Leek Slizunov aka Blue Chives/Siberian Chives (Allium Nutans ) seems to be used like wild leek/spring onions in Siberia.

[Jay-ell]

BM, if you're feeding the soil, pests are more your focus - but as you say perennial plants don't move. Then again, it depends how much of a fan you are of leek moths

Maybe you could move the whole bed sporadically, or replant as Jay-ell is doing?

Once perenialised the growth patterns of the leek may change.

At first the leeks grow from seed and grows through the year. Come spring it flowers, produces bulbs and dies back to regrow in autumn.

This might mean that the leeks miss the worst of the leek fly.

[Bigmallly]

Hmmmm..............I thought that if a Leek was cut off an inch or so above soil level, it would grow another Leek out of the centre.............looking forward to next year to see what happens.........Just had another thought:
The Leeks are currently planted 6"+ deep so do I lift the leek , cut it off then replant it or just cut it above soil level which will give less white shank. What I was thinking of doing was lift the Leek, cut it off an inch above the basal plate, replant it 1 inch deep, let it grow then put lengths of drainpipe over it to encourage blanching..............hope that makes sense.

[Jay-ell]

Try it both ways see what happens.

I think they will continue to grow from the centre until they bolt - like the half leek that grows in the fridge. After that they produce next years leeks.

[veggiechicken]

Leave a leek to bolt and,months later you'll find baby leek seedlings



Leave a Babington leek to flower and the heads form bulbils and seeds



Leave a Winter White Bunching onion to flower, dry the seed head and extract the seeds. Leave the seeds in the GH where they, accidentally, get wet and germinate. Spread the damp seeds onto compost and a couple of weeks later you'll have more seedlings than you can count



Alliums just want to grow, by whatever means they can so I'm having a permanent leek/spring onion bed too.

[Jay-ell]

Hmmmm..............I thought that if a Leek was cut off an inch or so above soil level, it would grow another Leek out of the centre.............looking forward to next year to see what happens.........Just had another thought:
The Leeks are currently planted 6"+ deep so do I lift the leek , cut it off then replant it or just cut it above soil level which will give less white shank. What I was thinking of doing was lift the Leek, cut it off an inch above the basal plate, replant it 1 inch deep, let it grow then put lengths of drainpipe over it to encourage blanching..............hope that makes sense.

Actually I've got some elephant garlic planted 6" deep - I was planning on digging down a bit and cutting it off above the bulb then seeing how it grows back.

I may have to try it with the regular leeks as well. Now I'll have to cut a bit more off the downpipes

[Jay-ell]

Come to think of it where's Two Sheds - I haven't seen her on in a while. I'm sure she used to do this with garden leeks.