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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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