Topic: Yellowing leeks?

[antipodes]

I looked for a previous post on this but found nothing. Yesterday I noticed that my first lot of leeks, which I planted hmmm back in June methinks, are going a little yellowish.
I had to pick a lot of snails off them last week, and since then we have had some rain. But can't think of anything else that might have changed. Could they be lacking something? The ones next to them were planted a bit later and they seem alright. they didn't get snails funnily enough, maybe it is a different variety...
any ideas?

[manicscousers]

some of ours are getting rust..we've started eating and freezing some as we've had one or two go to seed  :)

[antipodes]

hmm I didn't think that rust was like that. I suppose the leaves are going paler, that's probably a better way to describe them.
might look up rusty leeks and see what I find...

[Tee Gee]

Are they two different varieties? I ask as the yellowing one might be an early variety and is asking to be picked.

[antipodes]

ah I should have known TeeGee might come up with something. Well I didn't buy them from the same place (they were plants, not from seed) and the yellowing ones were there first. Just looked at my blog and I planted them on June 4. DO you think they have already finished? I always assumed that leeks were dead-of-winter veg and they would stay in the ground over the whole cold period???? perhpas I should just start picking them then.
They were well fed when I planted them - should I feed them again, do you think???

[Tee Gee]

I always assumed that leeks were dead-of-winter veg

Depends upon variety!

As a rule 'blanch' leeks (the long ones) are generally early varieties and won't stand winter frosts & damp. They tend to go soft and a bit snotty.

Whereas 'pot leeks' are generally hardier. I have yet to find a hardier variety than Mussleburgh which has been around for a very very long time.

should I feed them again

A waste of time!!

If they have turned yellow photosynthesis has stopped so they wouldn't take up nutrients. Plus if you feed the winter varieties now they might tend to go 'lush' resulting in the loss of their over-wintering qualities.

[antipodes]

oh dear! I can see that I haven't yet figured out all these complexities of varieties etc!!
They are quite green (i.e. not a huge white stem and obviously now more yellow than green), not very tall (about 30-40 cm) but fairly thick now, their foliage is quite floppy, looks like they have hair  ;D
the other variety next to it is still smaller, quite green, I think I will earth them up as it looks like they will be in the ground for longer.
thanks so much for that advice! I was more worried they had a dreaded disease that would kill it all off.

[Tee Gee]

Whats the chance of getting a picture??

See here; http://tinyurl.com/yaehy9

[antipodes]

thanks for that teegee
OK, I dug up four of the poorly leeks over the weekend and lo and behold, they looked terrrific!! They are nice and thick, (like the first of your pics, teegee), have a bulbous bottom, long healthy roots and so I just trimmed off the leaves into the compost and they look good. Can't wait to eat them! my first leeks!
I did take some pics though, I will post them once I get them off the camera.