Leeks Harvest and Pest and Disease
(continued - page 3)

Harvest Leeks
Leeks may be harvested from mid autumn through to the end of late spring, depending on the time of sowing and the variety. The hardier varieties are left in the ground until they are needed. Never pull the leeks out of the ground by force or they will more than likely break in two, leaving you with just a handful of leaves. Instead, lever them out with a spade or a fork. Dig up the largest ones first, if you leave the smallest ones in the ground until the spring, they will put on some more weight before they flower.

If the ground is likely to be frozen for a long period of time, it is a good idea to lift any leeks which are ready and store them in some sand in a cool place, where they will keep for about a month. If by the end of the season you have a few leeks still left in the ground, but need to clear the plot, you can dig up the leeks and heel them in a shady place until they are needed. Lay them on their side in a shallow trench with the top part of the leaf stalk sticking out above the ground, covering the rest of the stalk with soil. This also helps to stop them bolting.

You can if you leave the leeks in the ground nip out the flower stems and you will get a bonus crop, leek bulbs. These small white bulbs will form at the base of the plant, and if you harvest them in early summer you can use them as onions or shallots.

Pests and Diseases

Disease / Pest	Symptoms
Onion Fly	Yellow, drooping leaves and a tunnels in the plant tissue
Leek Moth	White streaks on the leaves.
White Rot	Yellow leaves, white or grey fungus at the base of the plant.
White Tips	Leaf tips die back with white papery patches on the leaves.
Leek Rust	Orange, powdery spots on older leaves

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Name: Barry Jackson
E-mail: jacksonblake2@googlemail.com
Date posted: January 11, 2012 - 05:23 am
Message: There is another pest which has devastated my leeks. It is some kind of beetle I think - tunneling through the base of the plant.
Barry

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: webmaster@gardenaction.co.uk
Date posted: November 22, 2011 - 07:41 pm
Message: Not sure on this one. Possibly a viral infection. Try growing elsewhere, it usually works.

Name: G H Smith
E-mail: grahamh.smith@tiscali.co.uk
Date posted: November 22, 2011 - 09:31 am
Message: My leeks have brown lines running down the white parts of the leek to the root, it mainly appears on the outside of the plant,but by the time you have removed the affected pieces there is very little left? what is my problem `

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 14, 2011 - 04:11 pm
Message: I've looked around and found no reference. Plenty of Korean leek recipes but nothing about a particular type.

Name: bb
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 14, 2011 - 12:55 pm
Message: I have a question Im am trying to find seeds for the Korean Leek Is there another name for this veg.
thank you

Name: Jane Limbert
E-mail: jane.limbert@sky.com
Date posted: November 09, 2011 - 02:31 pm
Message: Found out what the problem is from the RHS site: ALLIUM LEAF MINER. Bad news!

Name: Jane Limbert
E-mail: jane.limbert@sky.com
Date posted: November 05, 2011 - 02:45 pm
Message: All my leeks have tiny gingery-brown beetles inside - also on other allotments. Can't find out what they are from the internet or books - can anyone help? (This is our first year with the allotment - so very disheartening)

Name: stuart mcewan
E-mail: stuart.mc1964@hotmail.co.uk
Date posted: September 11, 2011 - 02:18 pm
Message: how can i stop onion fly in leeks as i have just lost my whole crop to them ?

Name: Jim Stevenson
E-mail: jim.stevenson@laserhire.com
Date posted: October 09, 2010 - 02:52 pm
Message: This is the second year this has happened on every allotment in our village. Does anyone know what causes it and how it can be prevented next year?

Name: David Holloway
E-mail: davidhol@live.co.uk
Date posted: September 29, 2010 - 05:16 am
Message: The same has happened to mine. Does anyone know the cause and are the plants likely to recover?

Name: paul chesters
E-mail: chesters38@hotmail.com
Date posted: September 25, 2010 - 04:57 pm
Message: ten days ago our healthy crop of leaves wilted and keeled over within 36 hours, leaving slimy wilted stunted stalks. This occurred on our allotment and several other plot holders suffered the same fate. Seen all the above, but never has a crop failed so fast!

Leeks Harvest and Pest and Disease (continued - page 3)

Leeks Harvest and Pest and Disease
(continued - page 3)