[mike2niner4]

Hey,

Last year me and my mum saw a program which wanted us which made us desperatley want to grow our own. However, it was around mid summer or so i think so we planted our crops at completely the wrong time!

Our leeks havent really got much bigger since last year and have developed a funny top which looks like a flower bud. Is it best to pull them up and sow them at the right time of year??

Also, our broccoli isn't doing anything and keeps getting these little purple things on the leaves, should i just pull them all up and do it at the proper time of year?

Mike

[purplebean]

It is a flower bud and the centre of the leek will be hard and inedible. I know I just pulled some exactly like that up today and I bit into one in the garden to confirm what I thought  

[mike2niner4]

so i might as well dig them up and use the space for something else then:P?

[purplebean]

so i might as well dig them up and use the space for something else then:P?

Yep, unless you want to see the flowers.

[mike2niner4]

If you leave a couple long enough can you collect seeds from them?

[DeadlyNightshade]

I would really leave them in to see them flowering, they are absolutely beautiful and flower well into the autumn.

I left ones in deliberately (same with salsify but their flowers are bright yellow)

[gobs]

If you leave a couple long enough can you collect seeds from them?

You can, but they might not be much use, especially the broccoli.

[noshed]

The broccoli is probably purple sprouting which is supposed to be like that and is a bit early if anything. I wouldn't worry too much - you can sow a lot of things now which are labelled earlies - just because they are quick maturing. And you can sow cabbages all year round, depending on where you live.
Sow what you like eating and learn from your experiences.
See if you can buy or beg some tomato plants, cucumbers  etc for now.

[iwantanallotment]

Your leeks are definitely no good for eating now Mike, unless you want to keep them for flowering/collecting seeds later.
As noshed says, there's still time to sow plenty of things this year. Runner beans, carrots, cabbages, lettuces, caulis, peas, leeks etc.

I did it all wrong last summer too - my first dabble same as you, & wanted to grow as much as poss, so I just sowed allsorts. My (idiotic!) reasoning was "if it's in the greenhouse it won't know it's winter" :roll:

Some succeeded, amazingly. Others didn't.

But you live and learn, and planting at the right time is essential.
I'm having a lot more success this year, actually taking note of seed packets  and I'm sure you will, too.

So get sowing, Mike - lots for you and mum to grow this summer!  

[mike2niner4]

Yupp we are growing loads this year from tomatoes, Aubergenes, Cucumbers (which are nearly ready for harvesting ) potatoes etc. I have a couple of leaks which i planted in a diffeent place so will keep them to flower but will pull up most of them and move my cabbages or so.

I just went to see if there was a lable and it said white sprouting. I am quite tempted to pull it up as one of them grew a long shoot out which grew wat looked like mini brtoccoli but then burst into flower. Then there are these little purple creatures so i pulled up the plant. Should i just pull those up and use the space?

Is it possible to sow peas now? I really wanted to do them but i thaught it was too late? Will i get crops? i always thaught peas took ages to grow...

Mike