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Written by Helena on 2025-01-10 at 18:45

Last year’s Babbington leek bulbil plantings not minding the cold weather

[#]PerennialVegetable

[#]GrowItYourself #gardening

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Descendants

Written by Engelsbäckerei on 2025-01-10 at 19:38

I didn't know that leeks also grow bulbils, @Hellybootwader. I had some bulbils from hard-neck garlic in 2023. Some of them are growing to become big heads (hopefully).

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Written by malte on 2025-01-10 at 22:03

@Hellybootwader My favorite onion species

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Written by Broadfork on 2025-01-13 at 03:41

@Hellybootwader My babington’s leeks have survived our recent cold snap (down to -7°C) too. As importantly they survived the allium leaf miner last year as well. I’ll sow more bulbils now elsewhere. #PerennialVegetable #GrowYourOwn #Gardening

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Written by levampyre on 2025-01-13 at 05:24

@Broadfork Wait, it's perennial leeks? How does it work? Will it multiply its stalks or build bulbs in the top like walking onions? How do you harvest and keep it at the same time?

@Hellybootwader

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Written by Helena on 2025-01-13 at 07:10

@levampyre @Broadfork you harvest the perennial leek by cutting it at soil level, leaving the root plate in place, it will regrow from there ( this also works with Annual leeks)

After a few years it will also start to clump, and may need thinned. Once it gets big enough, and is left to flower, bulbils form on the flower head - the bulbils can be used to propagate new plants.

The Babington leeks die back late summer & regrow from the bulb starting now.

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Written by levampyre on 2025-01-13 at 10:19

@Hellybootwader Thanks for the explanation. Now I'm thinking: If I can cut annual leeks and they regrow (which they do), what then is the difference between annual and perennial leeks? Could I not regrow annual leeks indefinitely then, too?

@Broadfork

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Written by Broadfork on 2025-01-13 at 10:29

@levampyre We used to cut the normal leeks back in late summer to reduce their attractiveness to leek moth. They then regrow to give a good harvest well into the next spring.

But they won’t then regrow again from another cut and need to be resown for a crop next year.

Whereas perennial leeks will regrow and spread in situ. The babington’s leeks are much thinner than normal leeks but if they can avoid being susceptible to allium leaf miner (so far so good) they are a win,win.

@Hellybootwader

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Written by Broadfork on 2025-01-13 at 10:18

@levampyre @Hellybootwader Babington’s leeks form bulbils on top of the stalk. These are sown in autumn/winter. As Helena says the leeks themselves are cut back to soil level to regrow and they will also clump up.

The photo is from summer 2023. The bulbils were collected and dried and then planted out in the autumn/winter.

This year’s leeks will either be harvested before this summer with some allowed to flower to collect more bulbils. #PerennialVegetable #GrowYourOwn #Gardening

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Written by levampyre on 2025-01-13 at 10:24

@Broadfork Are they similar in taste to annual leeks? I'd like to try them out. Want to go more towards perennial veggies anyways. But don't know where to get my initial plants, yet. I work with walking onions for a while now, so I'm familiar with the general principle of replanting the bulbils. @Hellybootwader

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Written by Broadfork on 2025-01-13 at 10:41

@levampyre @Hellybootwader They have more of a mild garlicky leek flavour. The leaves are also edible and have a slightly stronger garlic flavour than the stalks.

I would still prefer to be able to grow leeks as they were a reliable and long cropping winter/early spring staple.

However, the arrival of the allium leaf miner here has made growing leeks and onions to harvest much more difficult.

Spring onions and perennial leeks so far seem to be unaffected by the new (to us) pest.

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