Pearl Onions

[Jay-ell]

Harvested these out of a pot. Any guesses as to what they are?

[veggiechicken]

Are they Pearl onions?

[1Bee]

This feels like a trick question...

[Jay-ell]

Are they Pearl onions?

No

This feels like a trick question...

Yes

[Jay-ell]

They not uncommon and most of the regular veg growers have tried them at least.

In fact they may already have a pot of these waiting to go in., once the bed is cleared

[veggiechicken]

Are they bulbils/bulblets from a leek?

[Jay-ell]

Yep. The regular garden leek does down to a bulb and regrows next season (autumn). These were sown in 2016 an bolted earlier this month. They were in pots so I harvested the scrapes then let the pots dry out a. D the Leeks die back.

Still a few popping up scrapes, just snapped them off and wait for them to die off.

Ready to replant or eat.

P. S. Snadger calls them King Pods - at least I think he does, he's usually mumbling to himself and all I can hear is 'king pods

These are variety Elefant - if I had titled the thread "Elefant Balls' visitors may have been disappointed

[veggiechicken]

I planted some "balls" last year - complete with their parent leeks.



They're growing as clumps now which is quite satisfying when they were bolted leeks that most "sane" people would have put in the compost bin.

[Jay-ell]

That's the plan for this year for me. Sow once eat forever Once I cleared out all the pots I'll plant up a patch to leave and then take out the baby leeks to plant out from that patch or just harvest the large leeks putting the babies back into the patch.

Still got a small clump from 2015 leeks, but the Taunton Dean kale has overwhelmed them and taken over most of that bed.

Plus the 5 varieties of the perennial leeks. Goal is to never have to sow a leek seed again

[veggiechicken]

I've pulled some of them to eat but I replant the bottom couple of inches to increase the size of the bed.

[Snoop Puss]

Hang on, hang on. You two know what you're talking about and I haven't got a clue. And I'm so massively overworked at the moment my brain isn't capable of working it out.

I have leeks planted out last year that are now flowering (most splendidly). What do I have to do to never need to sow another leek seed? Just leave them to it or do I need to do something?

[Jay-ell]

Harvest the scapes and use them in an omelette, stir-fry or something.
Let the leeks die down.
Let them grow again in the autumn.
When you harvest them cut them off above the bulb and replant (or scrape the soil down and just cut above the bulb to leave the root system intact)
Continue on like that each year.
Hopefully the bulbs may split or form baby bulbs each year to make the patch grow.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, Jay-ell. That makes sense. I'm guessing it's too late to do this this year because they've flowered already, so all the energy is going into the flowers and seeds. I'll try this next year, though. Brilliant idea.

[Jay-ell]

If you take the flower spike (scape) off then the energy will be diverted back to the bulb. If the flowers haven't opened use it in your cooking. If they have opened pluck them off and sprinkle on a cheese sandwich or salad

[veggiechicken]

Thanks, Jay-ell. That makes sense. I'm guessing it's too late to do this this year because they've flowered already, so all the energy is going into the flowers and seeds. I'll try this next year, though. Brilliant idea.

Snoop, its not too late!! Here's a link to how I started at the end of July last year. https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1548195