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Post by templeton on May 1, 2015 20:51:59 GMT -5
 I imagine there are different lines of perennializing leeks around - anyone got varietal information? Reason: Rowan and another gardening friend gave me bunches of PLs, which have just started to sprout. Some of Lieven's winter leeks have also developed shoots, but nowhere near as numerous as the real PLs. A few other random leeks are also sprouting - the labels got lost, but may/may not include King Richard, Jaune de Poitou, and a few others. These were grown as a mass cross exercise,and the seedlings therefrom are just sprouting in the greenhouse, but I was thinking that I might group the resprouters together for a bit of MXing in a corner of the garden somewhere. Just to see. Unfortunately the Babbington's didn't make it this year, but the russian garlic might have contributed something. Since we don't get extreme winters here, no real need for specialist over-wintering leeks. Was thinking of using resprouting as my major selection criteria. Thoughts? PS, if anyone wants some MX F1 leek seed... T |
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Post by Al on May 3, 2015 16:25:25 GMT -5
I've got about 20 Musselburgh leeks left in the ground & they are throwing up flower stalks. Usually I just toss them on the midden when they get to this stage, but I am thinking to cut the flowers off & see what happens, possibly transplanting them carefully with plenty of root & earth to an out-of-the-way corner.
I know when I have allowed flowers to remain for seed there is usually a small leek plant produced around the base. With the flower removed is this offset production likely to be more vigorous? Or will the plant just try again to flower? Is cutting through the entire shank a better way to get some new offset plants for eating as baby leeks or transplanting? Perhaps stamping on a plant or decapitating earlier in the season is a better way to get lots of offsets?
Questions, questions? Any answers much appreciated.
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Post by templeton on May 3, 2015 20:21:14 GMT -5
Not sure how to induce extra offsets. Haven't tried triming, just left them to flower and die back, then resprout in autumn. There are marked differences in the numbers of offsets produced by different varieties, with my unnamed perennial far outstripping all the others.
T
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Post by Al on May 4, 2015 2:27:36 GMT -5
I would like to get seed for leeks with a tendency to offset / perennialize. Any suggestions for varieties to experiment with? I have a Babington & Pearl / Oerprei type. Also re-planted a big offset bulb found at the base of an uprooted unnamed plant on someone's compost heap. Growing Musselburgh & Porvite from seed, & have trays of small plants grown from topset leek grass.
Perhaps the old Babington & Pearl types are all the perennial leek one needs? I haven't had mine for long so don't know how they taste or how productive they are. But from what I read they seem a bit tough & slow compared to lots of newer types.
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Post by templeton on May 4, 2015 16:59:14 GMT -5
Al,
My Babbingtons died. Haven't got Oerprei here as far as I know. Some of Lieven's mix have set pearls, but nothing like the perennial leeks.
I'll get some mixed seed to you this week. Russian or Elephant garlic (not to be confused with Elefant leek variety which also went into the mix) is the master at forming pearls, but I'm not sure whether the flowers emerged at the same time as all the others. There might be some in the mix.
Last year I got Giant Bulgarian but it didn't flower, so it has been replanted in the corner with the other offsetting specimens.
T
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Post by Al on May 5, 2015 4:08:57 GMT -5
Mighty generous offer Templeton. Message me to work out details, address etc.
I was tempted by the Giant Bulgarian but hear it is not very hardy, also a Russian eBay seller offering Perennial Leek / Spring Onion? Nearly bought Jeane du Poitou yesterday because comments suggest it offsets readily, but resisted. Re-potted Pearl Onions (Oerprei?) which came from MyBigHair; very round pearls up to 15mm diameter, small leeks above ground with numerous very slender plantlets around about. These might have been from Ottawa originally, could send some to you, Templeton, next time I unearth a clump. A bit of rust on foliage which I am treating.
I gave up growing Elephant / Russian garlic because I prefer the bulbs of normal garlic, but never thought to use it like a leek. It grew well & kept forever, now realise it could be really useful for early summer leek substitute. Just had it in the wrong mental compartment, Duh!
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Post by robertb on May 5, 2015 5:05:06 GMT -5
Is Perennial Leek the same thing as perlzweibel?
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Post by Al on May 5, 2015 6:11:30 GMT -5
Yes. I think Ottawa described Babington as top-setting perennial leek & Pearl onion as bunching perennial leek. German names probably different tag for same plant. But other alliums may get called Pearl Onion too.
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Post by templeton on May 6, 2015 3:13:53 GMT -5
Check the uni of melbourne multi lingual allium name database
t
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Post by robertb on May 6, 2015 13:44:49 GMT -5
Thanks.
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