[hobhob]

Why is it that "Leek Musselburgh" can be grown from seed (http://www.unwins.co.uk/leek-musselburgh-seeds-pid1184.html) or plant (http://www.unwins.co.uk/leek-musselburgh-plants-pid1297.html) but that the plant variety can only be harvested from Sept-Oct, while the seed variety can stretch from Nov-Feb?

They're both the same plant aren't they? If so then the possible commercial time for the plant's availability would be then from Sept-Feb? But, always a but, The Red Tractor have them in season from Aug-Apr (http://www.myredtractor.co.uk/site/rtc_season.php).

This just being an example of the same species but from plant or seed, I am looking at other which will probably stretch the seasonal availability period, but just using the "Musselburgh" example it would be available from Sept-Feb wouldn't it? I mean, if it was at the supermarket or market stall you wouldn't know it was from a seed or plant and would taste/look the same wouldn't it, or am I wrong?

Thanks

[Yorkie]

I'm afraid the details are too technical for me 

Just curious, why are you so interested in harvesting times?  Have you got a research project under way? 

[gillie]

I have grown Musselburgh (from seed).  You can harvest it from the autumn until about April, when they go to seed.    The Unwins plants are exactly the same as the Unwins seeds except someone else has gone to the bother of sowing them and raising them to a size that can be sold for growing on.

The Red Tractor August ones may have been pushed on in polytunnels and the late season ones might be a bit large and coarse.

I think that either the distributors are just being inaccurate, it is to do with the timings of sowing or the logistics of marketing.

Why is it so important to you?

Gillie

[solway cropper]

Try growing different varieties if you want a longer harvesting period as some mature and fatten faster than others. I grow Zermatt and Winter Giant. The Zermatt I can start pulling as baby leeks from late July/early August and the Winter Giant will last through to April or May...if they don't get eaten before then.

[Salmo]

First we had questions about harvesting periods for cabbage, now it is leeks?

There is something very strange going on. Like Yorkie I suspect that Hobnob is doing research for a project.

Please be open with us and tell us about your project.

[Snoop]

Ask Unwins.

[zazen999]

Perhaps because when they are selling them, the plants were sown earlier than the seeds will be sown; and thus will be ready earlier.

Most leeks will be available from Aug to April when they will form a seed head. It just depends on when you sow them. Just like the cabbages.

Some of my earlier leeks would be starting to be ready soon, had I put them into their final position months ago, but they have been sat with all the other leeks and haven't had room to grow. Not that I want them now, leeks are my mainstay all winter long so I want them later, rather than earlier.

I'm not responding to any more of your posts now until you expand on the reasoning behind all your questions; it's only fair if you are above board.

[mike1987]

im finding all this v interesting they are simmalr to questions i have been pondering i.e im too late to plant smething outside from seed but if i grew it indoors untill it had caught up to the size it should be and then harden it off/plant it out and let it finish off would i be able to extend the ropping of that particular plant

[Yorkie]

im finding all this v interesting they are simmalr to questions i have been pondering i.e im too late to plant smething outside from seed but if i grew it indoors untill it had caught up to the size it should be and then harden it off/plant it out and let it finish off would i be able to extend the ropping of that particular plant

You could try, it would depend on the particular plant, how far behind you were, and the sowing / cropping period.  The quicker the variety is to crop, the more you're likely to be able to do this.

Squashes, for instance, take a long time between sowing and harvesting - and starting it off indoors is unlikely to reduce that sufficiently. 

The thing to bear in mind that many plants depend on certain temperatures, sun levels, and day length to grow.  As you get later in the year, plants will therefore stop growing at the same rates and may never catch up before it just gets too cool and dark.