Leeky sprout?

[Llamas]

I've been noticing that the root-end if the leeks we've been throwing into the compost seem to harbor some about of life, growing little rootlets and poking their inner leaf tubes up, even in their severly trimmed and chopped state. Sooooo I've saved one back and stuck it in a glass of water to see what happens. Has anyone else done this?

[Shadylane]

Well I read (on here) that if you chop them off at ground level rather than lifting them they grow back. Never tried it myself though.

[Snadger]

Sounds like Kingpods to me! Not a disease I hasten to add but vegetative growth from the base of the leek. These will grow, but rapidly run to seed. If you shave the resulting flowerhead you may get leek grass or pods/pips growing on the top........or you may not! If you don't shave the flowerhead and let it grow the seed should be viable anyway, although it's better if you have half a dozen leek heads flowering at the same time to get a decent gene bank for pollination!

You did ask!

[Llamas]

I did indeed! Thanks Snadger for the very informative reply. I think I'll just let it keep going, I've got this years leeks in so whats to lose?

[womble]

Well I read (on here) that if you chop them off at ground level rather than lifting them they grow back. Never tried it myself though.

Interestingly some of you may remember the leeks I sowed in sept 08 in the greenhouse, they went out in spring 09 and we ate some, but most went quickly to seed, I pulled them up quickly before a load of fresh horse manure was dumped on the bed (I know, shoot me), but in doing so, alot of them broke and left the base in the ground.
Now they have regrown, not going to seed and very tasty thankyou

[zazen999]

Womble; this is where my idea of a permanent leek bed comes in.....

All my leeks that were moved to so that I could collect the seed earlier this year have now resprouted at the base. I'm going to move all non-used leeks to a corner somewhere and just let a permanent leek bed develop over the years.

[womble]

Just cut them down to the base and let new plants grow?

Two problems, your plants are going to be years old, it that wise?
White rot..........

Keep us informed how it goes

[rustylady]

TwoSheds gets two crops at least off her leeks. She doesn't dig them up, just cuts off what she needs and leaves them to re-grow.

[realfood]

I assume that Two sheds must excavate down to cut off the good part of the stem just above the roots??

[Two_Sheds]

Just slice the leek off about an inch below the ground. It regrows. Honest.

[Llamas]

Cool! The leeky sprout is going strong. It's grown about 6 inches since the first post!

[Glutton4...]

Wow - only just seen this thread - perpetual Leeks, really? How long do they take to grow back TS? I luuuuuurve Leeks

[Brengirl]

Have you tried this with spring onions? I bought a bunch from the supermarket. Trimmed them, as you do, and replanted the root end. Et voila, a constant spring onion patch.

[Llamas]

just bought some spring onions too! Excellent.

[Llamas]

Have now got about 12 leeky sprouts going in the greenhouse, I reckon it'll be about a week or two till I harvest the first one again. Can't wait to show my friends dad who came over just as I was starting some off from seed two months ago. I think a switcheroo is in order.