sad looking leeks

[sarah]

my leeks which i planted out in the old potato bed about two months ago are looking not too healthy.  in fact they look like they have been chewed by a geriatric cat.  something seems to be attacking them but i cant find a culprit. basically they are small and stunted and very scraggy.  normally my leeks are lovely. is it the weather or is there something more sinister afoot?

[sarah]

[Trixiebelle]

Not sure Sarah, but mine are a bit weedy and they've got rust as well. I blame the weather! My stock excuse for this year's harvest (or lack of) X

[debster]

hey sarah mine look just like that too i wondered what it was

[asbean]

Mine too, and the next door plot too.  But ones I have further away seem to be OK. I think it could be catching.  :( :(

[greenscrump]

my onions looked like that sounds (!)  - it was slugs and/or snails  >:(

[umshamrock]

my leeks look like that every year...they even basically disappear during late fall and early winter...but then they come back and are fine in spring. it happens to everyone on site and no one knows what the problem is...

[asbean]

I've never had it before.  They were slow to start as well, and the birds stole a lot of them, or they disappeared while my back was turned.

[sarah]

i'll keep them in then and see how they go over the winter.  :D

[Tee Gee]

Could it be the work of the 'Leek moth'  http://tinyurl.com/ydkpoy

[sarah]

I'll have another look but couldnt find anything the first time i looked. perhaps i will take one up and strip it down.

[manicscousers]

I'm not sure if ours are early, some have gone to seed, the others have rust  :o :o ..mind you, they taste great  :)

[bupster]

I've tried three different types this year. The King Richards are ridiculously early and are nearly ready to pull, while the Bleu de Solaise look half starved as you describe. What variety have you planted?

[sarah]

er.....um...thats a good question.  i cant remember. :-[ :P

[twinkletoes]

Yup!   That's exactly what my leeks were like too.  I was going to pull them up when I saw the damage. But I thought - no, I was too hasty with the tomatoes when blight struck and yanked them all out, only to discover that others had "managed" the blighted tom plants and got good crops from them.   So, I left the leeks and gave them a good weeding and now there are fresh green healthly shoots coming through.  Found some of the pupated nasties on the soil around the plants so assume the little b****rs have had their fill and gone away now.  Fingers crossed anyway.
Twinkletoes.

[asbean]

I'll have a closer look next time I'm down the lottie. My son weeded the leeks yesterday and didn't mention any nasties.  I put in Lyon Prizetaker and Musselborough.  Never had probs with them before.