Leeks producing seed heads

[BAK]

The variety is Musselburgh which I grow most years. While I normally tend to get a couple of them producing seed heads well over 50% have done so this year. The only difference that I am aware of is that the plants grew so well early on that I transplanted them a couple of weeks earlier than normal (beginning of June). I also watered them during the dry spell that we had in the 2nd half of July. Some rust and some leek moth but nothing out of the ordinary.

Any ideas why?

[BAK]

[davyw1]

Yes, I have found that they are one of the worst leeks for going to seed early. so i don,t plant them any more.

[kt.]

Yes, I have found that they are one of the worst leeks for going to seed early. so i don,t plant them any more.

I have only grown leeks for 4 years and I have never had problems with Musselburgh.  (Never grown anything else as yet so I have nothing to compare them against neither)

[realfood]

My three different leek varieties, including Musselburgh, are all fine with none going to seed.
I have seen examples of leeks going to seed in August this year on another plot.
I suspect that the cause was that the box of leeks had suffered a drought before they had been planted out in their final positions. This had so stressed the plants that they rushed to produce seed, which is the plant's ultimate aim.

[ninnyscrops]

I've done Musselburgh and Giant Winter leeks for three seasons now and must admit not had a problem with either. Transplant mine later though, more towards the end of July early August once some of the potatoes are out of the way.

The seed heads drying in the brown bags in the greenhouse are from last year's planting that I let go to seed for saving.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF1382.jpg.

Ninnyscrops

[BAK]

realfood - in my case I sow the leeks on the plot in a seed bed (under a cloche initially) and I am not aware that they got stressed. Early growth was very good (better than usual) .. including after transplanting them.

Any recommendations on other varieties? I have tried various in the past, eg Prizetaker and Carlton , but always come back to Musselburgh.

[realfood]

This year I am also growing King Richard, one of my favourites for early Winter use. Also growing Giant Winter and hope that it will stand the Winter. Have grown Carlton in the past with no problems.
Musselburgh is the hardiest for me in Glasgow.

[RobinOfTheHood]

For comparison, I'm growing Lyon Prizetaker and Musselburgh this year, first time for LP but I've grown Musselburgh for 5 years now, and they've never gone to seed.
Always been small, mind, so maybe I've been putting them out too late.  ::)

This year I got the LP in a couple of weeks before the Musselburgh and, guess what, they've ALL gone to seed. The Musselburghs are fine.
Can't give you transplant dates, though. I'm not that organised.   :-\ :)

And I've decided to keep the LP seeds for next year and eat the others.

[vegmandan]

I also watered them during the dry spell that we had in the 2nd half of July. Any ideas why?

Might well have been the watering which encouraged the roots to grow upwards towards the water  ??? and then maybe got a bit stressed later on. ???

I'd never water leeks, as you plant them a good 6 inches deep the roots will be well into moist soil regardless of how dry the top few inches may be.

I'm not trying to be patronising as I always used to water my carrots during dry spells and always ended up with rubbish.

So this year when it was dry I decided that they will have to search out the water for themselves and I got the best ones ever.

At least with Musselburgh (I grow them too) they shouldn't be far off ready now anyway and you can just remove the hard cored flower spike from the middle when you cut them up and they are fine to eat. ;D

[BAK]

thanks all for your observations and thoughts on varieties.

vegmandan ... my watering is a possible cause but I do end up doing some watering in most seasons and have not had the problem on anything like this scale, eg the very hot spell in 2006.

I should say that we grow on a sandy soil ... looks a bit like a beach in a dry spell.

Re your experience with carrots, they also end up getting some water here and we end up getting reasonable crops, in fact this year's was possibly one of our best.

[BAK]

spotted that a similar question to mine was asked on Gardeners' Question Time back in 2003. Here it is, along with Bob Flowerdew's answer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/gqt/fsheets/23_03_03/fsheetsq7.shtml