Newby to growing Leeks

It's probably going to seed SPPman!

You can use it, but when it's cut though, you'll notice the flower stem in the middle, which isn't fantastic to eat, so hoik that out, and treat the rest of the leaves as normal.

Incidentally, what variety is it, as there are three seasons in general terms - early, middle and late (which you can use over winter up to March sometimes, and if it's one of those, it's got a long way to go yet:0~!

Always grown Musselburgh leeks

Normally start picking from November and December, until early April.
Do often get some that fatten up quicker and will start picking a few of those each month in September and October, so probably taht stops them going to seed.
I planted mine out in the second week of June this year and normally do around mid May to early June.

Have noticed as I said above some have really grown large and fattened up nicely already and have had a few weekend pickings so far.
I do cover my leeks once first planted for a month and a half to get them settled and undisturbed in their dib holes, mainly to stop the cats and foxes trampling over them.
I then remove the cover.
Have seen some growers keep covers over the leeks for the season and notice theirs go to seed, think maybe they are shooting up to find the light.

Do the same with other crops with early use of covers like Turnips and have left a cover on a little too long and they shoot up and start seeding. Lesson learnt.

Hi. Many thanks for all your comments. I have removed the leek & checked the others
& they seem to be ok. In answer to the 1st reply they are called Lyon, I picked this type
because they are an early crop.
Keith. 

Some of my leeks have thrown up flower heads as well. I suspect it is as a result of the dull wet summer immediately followed by a bone dry September.

I'd say if they're Autumn leeks, you can use them now, unlike onions they don't need to go brown, so away you go - and use some of the green bits at the top after just a couple of outer layers have been stripped off - the colour is fabulous in soups etc!

The 'Krypton' I mentioned above was about 18" long after trimming the big leaves - a record for me, and just one with a modest 1.25" diameter was easily enough for a big soup!

Hope I can help, Rowland!

'Krypton' leeks (Unwins/Marshalls seeds) sown in a half-tray during last week in January, potted on around 30+ (that's most of the few seeds in the packet which germinated properly), into two deep 6" pots during the first week in April, then, at 'thin pencil' size, dibbled into their final bed during the last week in May.

I guess there's a need to start them off much earlier than March. I grew Musselburgh last year, on roughly the same timing, but they didn't get to pencil size - never have done with me, but they went in as usual, and were fine!

I like the idea of earthing up leeks, especially if they extend the blanched section, that's a sound method, so your FIL knew his stuff! I dibble holes to around 8" and about 8" each way for the thirty plants in a block, and it seems to work! Some are still much smaller at the moment, and probably won't get much bigger now.

When we had 'The Patch', I used to grow around 200 plus, but finished up giving loads away at Easter...

Frankly, I just love growing the blighters, they're so forgiving and down here at least - don't seem to be worried by the nasties!