Bolting leeks, again

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AlaninCarlisle

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Bolting leeks, again
« on: September 21, 2017, 17:03 »
I originally thought it was just a small proportion of my crop but now the whole damn lot are bolting. Same procedure as in previous God-knows how many years. Musselburgh germinated in greenhouse in April, planted out in May but for some reason they all think it's now April 2018. Why?

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mumofstig

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2017, 17:14 »
Weird weather (too hot/cold, too wet/dry or cold nights in summer) stresses the plants and makes them bolt.
I've got early purple sprouting already - I expected it in early in spring, not early Autumn  :wacko:

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Pescador

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2017, 17:25 »
Mine didn't bolt, but every single one was absolutely hammered by Leek Moth
Had to destroy the whole lot!
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Paul's Preserves and Pickles.

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Gellideg

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2017, 18:39 »
Hi Alan.
If it helps,I grow M/burgh leeks from seed,and looking back in my gardening diary,I planted mine out on the 27th of June.Most years no earlier and I don't get any trouble with bolting,any of the last 6 years.They are very nearly ready to eat at now,maybe in c3weeks.Are you planting out too early in the season? That would be my suggestion.My summer leeks planted in April can bolt as they get into late August,and I put it down to the age of them,so to speak.
Hope this is of use to you     John.

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victoria park

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2017, 23:05 »
My Musselborough were sown 27 February, nursed in the greenhouse and planted out 20 May. This year I put all but ten under evnviromesh to protect from leek moth. I could harvest from 20 August, but almost every single one has bolted.
Of the ten I planted out in the open, only two have bolted. They have also grown somewhat bigger. I can only assume that the netting has affected the main crop, and not enough water got through the mesh in the earlier very dry months of May and June, even though I watered both sets on occasion.
Next year I will discard the net, I would rather take my chances with the moth. I will also try a bolt resistant variety if there is one. Alliums and I were not on the best of terms this year.

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shedmeister

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2017, 16:02 »
I do not plant any leeks out untill the summer solstice straight after the soil has recovered from my charlott taters. Never had one bolt regardless of variety. Will be sampling mussleborough this weekend with some nice home cured ham
May the fork be with you

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victoria park

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2017, 16:45 »
Having done a bit of research, it would appear I have in the last couple of years started my leeks too early.... probably a bit of lazy mission creep on my behalf, and not really concentrating on what the veg is all about. It's not a particular favourite of mine as such, and that might be part of the problem, and it's job in the past has been to replace onions in the late Winter/early Spring. In the past I've used clumps of dry root leeks from garden centres and planted out in July/August, and had no problems. I've since grown from seed for my own interest and sown too early, and clearly have lost the plot. I'm going to return to later sowing/planting and  just be happy they're there from February to April. Consider the experiment failed, Victoria  :nowink: Thanks Gellideg, your thoughts were useful.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 16:57 by victoria park »

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AlaninCarlisle

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2017, 19:55 »
Yes, thanks all. I'll not plant any out until late June in future. I guess I've just been lucky in past years wth my earlier germination and planting-out

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juvenal

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2017, 23:05 »
Same sad tale of Musselburgh. Sowed early, all bolted. I blame the weather.

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theothermarg

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2017, 09:06 »
This has been very helpful, thank you.  I have discovered leeks have a very unusual flower !! :dry:
Tell me and I,ll forget,Show me and I might
remember,Involve me and I,ll understand

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jaydig

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2017, 18:42 »
Yes, I took the covers off my leeks today, and every one of the 'Sprintan' variety has bolted, but some of the Elefant are ok.  I agree with everyone else, it's probably just the strange weather we've had this year.  Mid Spring was tropical, followed by wet and windy, then colder nights and autumn this year began in August, and is still going. The poor plants don't know what time of the year it is.

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solway cropper

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2017, 23:13 »
Been growing leeks for donkey's years and very rarely had any bolt, whatever the variety and whatever the weather. I never plant out until after the early spuds have been cleared which can be anytime from late June to late July and I don't normally sow till March. Not sure we can blame the weather as no two years are ever the same !! Sometimes plants just do whatever they want to and there's nowt we can do about it.

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AlaninCarlisle

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2017, 11:09 »
Solway Cropper, lesson learned, marra. I reckon I've just been lucky with my early planting-out in the past. No leeks will be planted out here until late June in future!!

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Yorkie

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2017, 19:43 »
This has been very helpful, thank you.  I have discovered leeks have a very unusual flower !! :dry:

I deliberately left the leek flowers on my leeks over winter one year - got lots of comments from passers by as to the unusual statement!
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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theothermarg

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Re: Bolting leeks, again
« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2017, 16:36 »
This has been very helpful, thank you.  I have discovered leeks have a very unusual flower !! :dry:

I deliberately left the leek flowers on my leeks over winter one year - got lots of comments from passers by as to the unusual statement!
Well that's 2 lessons learned through making a mistake  :unsure: I usually find this the most effective way  :dry:



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