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Post by richardw on Oct 28, 2015 23:37:17 GMT -5
I'm now up to the fourth generation cross that originated from a collection of five commercially available variety's, there's still a fair amount of variation but the only leeks i pulled out were ones that were rather spinally, but over all very pleased with the size that this soon to be new landrace variety that ive named as Potage.  |
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Post by ferdzy on Oct 29, 2015 5:06:07 GMT -5
Look like leeks, uh huh, uh huh... wait are those your CLIPPERS?! Holy compost, those are big. Nice dark green too.
What were the 5 varieties, if I may ask?
I am growing Giant Musselburgh, Inegol, Verdonnet, and Bandit, which is a selection of Dutch winter leek. I intend to let them all cross next year and see what happens.
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Post by flowerweaver on Oct 29, 2015 12:20:01 GMT -5
Wow, Richard--those are some awesome alliums. They look like leeks on steroids!
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Post by templeton on Oct 29, 2015 16:00:33 GMT -5
Looking fantastic, richard. Arey they all starting to flower?
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Post by steev on Oct 30, 2015 0:27:54 GMT -5
Um, not to be the spelling police (well, yes, I guess I am), but is that "Portage" (carrying a vessal), or "Potage" (stew)? It's unclear, as those suckers are nearly as big as a canoe, although I don't doubt they'll make a tasty mélange!
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Post by philagardener on Oct 30, 2015 5:54:05 GMT -5
I saw "potage" in the description, but would be easy to get "carried away" with such beautiful leeks!
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Post by richardw on Oct 30, 2015 13:10:47 GMT -5
I know there was Musselburgh,Lungo della Riviera and winter giant as some of the crosses but cant remember what the rest were, they were some that were given to me. It all start off way back before i was a member on here where a landrace was an event that had a start/finish line,the idea of breeding a new variety was never the intention. I got my my oldest fella to work for his own money by growing and selling three month old leek plants at my parents house in suburbia, i wasnt worried about what variety it was ,i just brought it.
Gregg- yes some are going to flower ATM.
Don't ask me where that name came from though
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Post by richardw on Oct 30, 2015 13:19:31 GMT -5
ferdzy would you like to do a swoop?, adding a bit more genetic variation into my landrace wouldn't go a miss.
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Post by ferdzy on Oct 30, 2015 16:20:04 GMT -5
richardw, sure. But keep in mind that first these leeks have to survive the winter, flower, form seeds, dry down... we're talking pretty much a year before I have any. I'll try and remember.
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Post by jondear on Oct 30, 2015 23:13:22 GMT -5
Nice leeks!
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Post by richardw on Oct 31, 2015 15:55:50 GMT -5
richardw, sure. But keep in mind that first these leeks have to survive the winter, flower, form seeds, dry down... we're talking pretty much a year before I have any. I'll try and remember. Not sure how cold your winters get but my leeks had to withstand two -10C deg frosts during the past winter, PM on its way |
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Post by ferdzy on Oct 31, 2015 19:13:52 GMT -5
richardw, well, last year we had 14 days of -36°C or -37°C straight. That was brutal and unusual, at least the 2 weeks part. A couple days at a time is not so unusual. Trees, even native trees, but especially fruit trees, were killed or severely damaged in epic quantities. One of our neighbours lost his entire peach orchard of 49 trees, 19 years old. Your leeks look quite a dark bluish green, which is usually a good sign for cold tolerance. p.s. I didn't see anything odd in naming a leek "portage"... but I'm a Canadian and portaging happens.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 31, 2015 20:51:21 GMT -5
Ferdzy, dig the leeks that you want to save for seed. Dig a pit about 2 feet deep and put the plants in it. Fill with loose straw and then mound about 2 feet of more straw or leaves and cover with tarp or plastic. They will survive your cold. I have Inegol and Lincoln stored that way for both winter eating and next year seed production.
Martin
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Post by ferdzy on Oct 31, 2015 21:16:57 GMT -5
Thanks, paquebot. That sounds pretty effective. However, I've never had any trouble just leaving them in situ. Our soil is very sandy and well drained and we get good snow cover. All of our leeks have always survived the winter. The Inegol looked like hell, in the spring of '14, but they perked up remarkably fast once the weather improved. |
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Post by richardw on Nov 1, 2015 0:47:56 GMT -5
Gees they are brutal temperatures alright, but at least a snow cover would help them survive.
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