Topic: Leeks

[Peter H]

Went down the lottie to do a bit of weeding even though it was raining (as always) when i noticed that the leeks looked different, all of them had been chopped down, you would think someone had cut them clean off with scissors.
Now me not being an expert gardener (far from it in fact) could someone please tell me if any animal eats leeks? I know there is a rabiit running round but do you think it's mad enough to eat my leeks.

Peter

[tim]

No idea. But it won't do much harm. Chuck something over them until they get on their feet again.

Not vandals I trust?

Always rain? - lucky you - we've had a bare 2 days in as many months. = Tim

[Peter H]

Hi Tim, no it's not vandals i've got that area covered ;) right so now i need to cover the leeks? anyone got a net 20mx50m that's the size of the leek and onion bed!!!!!!!! forgot to mention that it's only the leeks and not the onions  ???

As for the rain it hasn't stopped up here for 2 weeks, but at least my fish farm is doing well  ;D

Peter

[tim]

Point made!!

If you really had to do it, a roll of fleece would do. But this has to be a 'one-off'? Do your fellow growers have any idea how it happened? A bit spooky? = Tim

[Peter H]

The one both side of me have the same trouble all their leeks are cut but the onions aren't.
Ron lives next to the alottments and keeps an eye out but has seen no one, will try the fleece and see if it works, thanks Tim.

Peter

[Multiveg]

Do cutworms like leeks?

[Peter H]

Went down the lotie this morning and talked to the rest of the lads and they are saying the same thing, all the leeks cut but not the onions, so we think someone is responsible and not the wild life, as the rabbits are not that fussy what they eat (well they are daft geordie rabbits).


Peter

[ina]

Rabbits seem to love leeks. I had some planted outside the rabbit fencing last season and they were cut at a perfectly straight level, leaving about 2 cm, down the row.
I put my money on rabbits.

[Peter H]

Hi ina thats what they look like, right i need to cover them or put a chicken wire fence around them.

Thanks for all your help

Peter

[Ceri]

you said the magic word - geordie - methinks the leek show's are a-coming and a bit of the old sabotage may be going on?  Elderly gentlemen are already muttering quietly to themselves about secret composts etc. on our geordie plot and renewing their leek-house padlocks.

[tim]

Remember that they can jump, Peter.
Rather a netting 'cloche' than a fence - neater, easier & more generally useful for other things?? = Tim

[Peter H]

Hi Tim, the fence will be 5ft high or can they jump higher?

Hi Ceri, there not show leeks, i dont grow them for that reason, too many jealous people who slash or kill the leeks. Mine are just for the family.

Peter

[tim]

OK - they'll dig underneath!! = Tim

[Peter H]

Thought of that Tim, the fence will be buried 3 ft deep and if they can either jump or dig under then i'm more than prepared for them to have them, or at least some  ;D ;D ;D .


Peter

[tim]

You must LOVE leeks!! = Tim

[aquilegia]

Do you have a nuclear power plant near you Peter? Sounds like mutant bunnies! ;D

[Peter H]

Well Tim me being a daft geordie  ;D was brought up on leeks and coals in the bath, whippets, cloth caps, and white silk scarfs, hob nail boots etc hahahahahahahahahahaha.

Only joking Tim, yep i like to grow leeks as there is fierce competion on our site to see who can outdo the others, but as usual i'm usually last  :-\ .

Peter

[The gardener]

It has been said as the rabbits are not that fussy what they eat I have found this not to be strictly true, and I find it the same with some things birds eat.

The reason I believe rabbits prefer Leeks to Onion leaves is because they are more succulent and flat, whereas onion leaves are round and hollow and contain a pungent sap which I guess is not as tasty to them.

In terms of birds, and I have just had an episode of this.
They have decimated my cabbages but left the broccoli,sprouts and caulis alone.
 
It appears to me they like the same parts of the plant we humans do, i.e. we eat cabbage leaves but do not (as a rule) eat broccoli,sprout or cauli leaves.

I have also known them to eat the cauli and broccoli heads, plus the young sprouts as the form.

If I am correct! all I can say is they are not daft.

This is why I have invested in a number of 'nets' otherwise I could have nothing some years.

[ina]

Digging so deep seems like a lot of hard work to keep the rabbits from tunneling under the fencing.

We got 1 m. wide chickenwire, folded the bottom 20 cm. outwards that was laid flat in a shallow (maybe 3 cm. deep) trench and covered with soil. So you end up with an 80 cm. high fence with 20 cm. on the bottom facing out just under the soil.

Two days after installing ours there were 11 tunneling attempts exposing some of the chickenwire that was under the soil and the vertical fencing was a bit dented. No rabbits got under or over the fence but not for lack of trying. He or she must have been really desperate to dent the fence in like that. Never had any more attempts since and it's the second season now.

[tim]

Yes, it's the flat bit that counts! = Tim