[Anton]

If I cut off the tops of my exuberant leeks (to be able to hoe down the weeds, which I have been doing by hand up until now, and heap up the earth) do I risk attracting pests or causing other damage to the plants? Are there any other strategies for when the tops of leeks are obstructing the passage of my hoe?

Anton

[Anton]

I found this video. Very interesting: _uceJ0pICT4

And as an addition, part of another article:


When folks prepare leeks for market, they typically trim off much of the long, floppy, green upper leaves (“flags”) as they just wilt and are unattractive. However they’re not altogether useless despite their fibrousness. They may be too tough for a vegetable, but I chop those parts and dehydrate them on a screen rack (preferably nylon) hung over the cook stove. When they are brittle-dry, I run them through my Corona grain mill (adjusted so that they don’t gum up the plates) and out comes a brilliant jade-green powder. I may use this in soup stocks but mostly I steep this in a bottle of vegetable oil along with crushed and sifted dried celery leaf (the dark part you throw away), homemade garlic powder and paprika, and maybe some kelp powder.

[Sands]

For next year!  Look at the way the leeks leaves grow. Two sets opposite each other forming a sort of fan shape. Next time you transplant, place each leek with the leaves in a line instead of Higgledy Piddle.The lines will be neat and leaving spacing enough for your hoe weeding is easier.

[Anton]

Great tip Sands. Thanks.

Anton