Leeks

Awww how cute are they?!

Vinny, I'm sure you've told me countless times, but I've never understood how you shave leek heads. Could you explain it again please? I have a few leeks in flower at the moment but I've been leaving them to self seed at will.

Vinny, I'm sure you've told me countless times, but I've never understood how you shave leek heads. Could you explain it again please? I have a few leeks in flower at the moment but I've been leaving them to self seed at will.

Pretty simple reall veggie. Just shave alll the leek flowers off with some scissors and leave a long stubble. the leek should compensate for losing its flowers by producing leek grass,pods,pips or whatever you want to call them. When they have grown a bit tease them out and plant them. If you don't want to plant straight away the pips, usually without leaves are dried off (like mini onion sets) and put in an envelope and the accepted method is to put them behind a picture hanging on the wall (no idea why). After the turn of the year you can plant then into trays where they should grow. After that its a case of potting on instages until planting out after last frost date (2nd week in June around here) Simples!

Mine are just an experiment and wil probably come to nowt.................watch this space!

PS If you want seeds and vegetative growth, only shave half the head!

I think its "shave" that confuses me! If you said "cut off" I'd understand.
If the rain stops tomorrow, I'll try to cut some.!

I think its "shave" that confuses me! If you said "cut off" I'd understand.
If the rain stops tomorrow, I'll try to cut some.!

I remember a thread about leeks on another forum that got a bit naughty!  It was about leek rust and 'greasing ones leek' with vaseline to combat it. The phallic undertones made the mind boggle! 

Don't remember that but I'm surprised it was allowed given how prudish some people are over there.

Don't remember that but I'm surprised it was allowed given how prudish some people are over there.

I think it was even before your time there Veggie! There were lots of contentious issues and in-fighting in the early days.............I loved it!

Bet you were stirring it up with your big leek, Vinny.

Bet you were stirring it up with your big leek, Vinny.

Who me?...........NEVER!

Today's news - I didn't "shave" or "cut with scissors" the heads of 2 leeks - I nipped off all the seeds with my finger nails and scattered the seeds in a foot square "bed" alongside the mother leeks. Let's see if I can propagate a single leek in 3 different ways - the 3rd being leaving it in the ground to send up side leeks.