Topic: Babington's leek study

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

What size do your 'leeks' get to when planted out separately, Goodlife?
They are now starting to thicken up and is almost as thick and average 'normal' leeks.. about 3-4cm across, but not as tall and don't have as much as bare 'neck' as 'normal' leeks.
They are coming to now their peak and have to be used within next couple of months and then they start pushing flower heads and 'young ones' from the base. 

[Ian Pearson]

I've had a full bed (12ft by 4ft) of Babington's  growing for three years. I've found that if they are left in a permanent bed with just some mulching and hand weeding, they can be co-grown with a summer crop such as toms, or squashes, without any competition between the crops — since the Babington's die down in early Summer just as the toms are being transplanted out. Then as toms are going past in autumn, the Babington's are coming into growth.
As with most alliums, some wood ash does wonders for bulb size.

By the way, Three-cornered leek is now listed under Schedule 9, meaning that it is an offence to plant it in the wild. It is invasive by seeding, which is assisted by ants moving the seeds around. That said, it is as good as garlic chives, and much earlier to crop.

[galina]

That's very interesting Ian, both parts of your post.  My Babington's are grown in the corner of beds or under bushes (they don't mind).  To double-crop in the way you describe is such an elegant idea.  As you plant the main summer crop in a permanent bed, any bulbs dug out can be used in the kitchen.  There will be plenty in a permanent bed.  I made the mistake of trying to rotate Babington Leek when I started growing them.  Nobody seemed to know about them at that time - rotation was a mistake, or maybe not because I now have 3 areas where I can harvest from.    They do need a permanent spot but they will share or thrive, tucked away, grown as a semi-wild permanent without much attention. 

However you do get bigger plants with a little more tlc and 'mopping up' from high fertiliser demand crops like tomatoes or squash sounds a better growing plan for Babington Leeks than my 'tuck them away and forget about them until harvest'.   

[galina]

Btw...I'm going to sort those 'babies' out over weekend, wrap them up for postie and get them sent for you...
They are bit on the larger side that I would like them to be for transplanting..but they will still take, it just that they might jump into 'baby' production mode in next year...maybe even flowering..

They were planted up and settled in well.  They got bigger in spring, but in late summer they disappeared.  I feared that I had somehow killed them, but after a month or so of dormancy they have now resprouted with near inch thick stems and are looking like proper big leeks.  No splitting yet, but I am hoping they will soon, perhaps early spring.

Just wanted to let you know because this isn't quite like you said, but perhaps it took a bit more time for them to establish.  Needless to say that we have not eaten any yet - and won't before they split.  But they are certainly looking much larger than they did after planting out.   

[galina]

Well, an update is definitely called for.  I received a wonderful gift of a clump of small leeks from goodlife in December 2014 and planted them.  They got through winter fine and last year 2015 they grew into sizeable leeks.  They have produced no babies apart from one that is tiny and really not ready for being detached.  Currently they are preparing to flower.

I wonder when they will start producing offset 'babies'?  But I will certainly let them flower and harvest the seeds.  I had sort of expected them to make offsets last year, but they just bulked up dramatically.  So much so that I wonder whether they are planted too close and I should have spaced them better.  But I am not moving them now that they are developing flower scapes.

This wild leek remains a mysterious plant.  Having read that they like the milder parts of Britain where they are still hanging on in the wild, I am glad that we had fairly mild winters since I got the plants.  It will be good to have seeds as insurance against colder winters.  Although they survived some cold winters at goodlife's location.

After flowering (unless they start making offset babies) I may need to dig up and move every other plant, in case they need more space to make 'babies'. 

I hope the bulb survives after flowering.  If not, seeds will be very welcome to try again. 

[galina]

Here is a photo of the wild leek from goodlife now.   

[Jeannine]

Oops, I got some from the UK too and thought I had killed them as they seemed to vanish,, I never found out if theycame back as I had to give up my plots.

They are looking great Galina. how do they taste by the way, I have never heard anyone comment on that.

XX Jeannine

[galina]

They are looking great Galina. how do they taste by the way, I have never heard anyone comment on that.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine, I have only just eaten the green tops of some leaves and they tasted just like leek. 

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, I have been reading this thread and find it very interesting. I fancy having go at growing some but would like to know where you buy the bulbils from. I have had a look on line and one offered seeds, but I belive they don't grow from seed but from bulbils underground. The other had run out of stock and the last one wanted £5 and by the time they added postage came to £13.50. A bit rich for me. If any one could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. There does not seem to be a lot of companies selling them but I will do more research myself. Thanks to all and happy gardening

[squeezyjohn]

Inspired by this thread I have just come back with 4 plants raised from bulbils and lots of other perennial goodies from a nursery in Berkshire called Edulis.  They do quite a few plant fairs and I think they also send mail order.  Nice people.