So I have wanted to tell you about our leeks for a while now, I'm really rather proud of them you see. They have their own dedicated bed this year in 14b and have been going so well there. We plant ours in modules and then transfer them out into the bed, when they're settled in there we cover the lower stem with cut offs of drain pipe we found dumped in a river (waste not, want not). This gives them a great size to grow to and they get blanched whilst they're at it. Andrew told me it was in a recent gardening magazine that Pringle crisp tubes are good for this too. You'd have to eat a little more than your fair share to get enough for the whole bed of seedlings, but they do say 'once you pop, you can't stop'.
I was also introduced to the traditional way of growing them when we visited Glenarm Castle Gardens. The young seedlings are lifted here and put into a comparatively wide and deep hole, they grow to fill the hole and of course being in the ground, they get blanched in that way. Each to their own.
We've been eating ours for a good month now and of course it has just been getting better and better. Look at this beast, I couldn't believe it. Now they are all like that. I can't eat onions but I can cope with leek so this is super duper rewarding, they are very strong so 1 leek would do 2 dinners. Last week when Andrew was chopping one up in the kitchen I was crying in the living room - that's how strong they are! We have only ever grown 'Musselborough' leeks and I reckon that is the way it will stay. They did get some leaf rust this year but it's only at the top and doesn't effect the white bit, so I can't find fault in this variety at all.
Here's 2 more in amongst the autumn harvest of last Saturday. They're still in the fridge with everything else - a huge vat of soup is going to be made ~ yummy!! Perfect for these colder nights. Plus Andrew is off on Friday and has it planned that we are allotmenteering our socks off so some hearty soup will be needed!!
It being the 1st Wednesday of the month Andrew and all the other committee members are off having their meeting. Wish them well please, I don't think I could cope with that job - never going to please everyone.
Wow Carrie that is a monster leek, worthy of winning a prize. I had to get rid of 40 leeks (my whole leek bed) as we had leek moth caterpillar's on our allotment this year. Needless to say I was gutted as I love leeks.
ReplyDeleteSo next year we have to all grow them under fleece.
I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better! Reading this has made me think that I really must grow some leeks next year. I've read that Joy Larkcom recommends 'Musselburgh. Rust seemed to be a bit of a problem everywhere this year but too not badly. I hope that Andrew's evening went okay. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm glad you're feeling better too. I love the glaucous foliage of leeks (and that they're such srong, Emily-proof plants! - once they get going). Yours look great.
ReplyDeletehi Carrie! thanks so much for dropping by my blog, i'm glad you did because now i get to drool over your leeks. absolutely amazing! i harvest the last of mine yesterday and they were finger thin, but still tasty. congratulations on such a great crop!
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