Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Bulgarian Giant Leeks

I am only growing two varieties of potatoes this year. I planted these from green tubers which I collected last year as the ones I didn't want to eat. They seem to have made perfectly good seed potatoes. The International Kidney are my early new potatoes - I am digging them now and they are a beautiful waxy potato. These flowers here are from my others Sarpo Axona. I chose this variety because I was blighted quite badly last Summer, and this is one of the new varieties which is resistant to blight. Interesting flowers - I don't think I have ever seen so many flowers on a potato before. I think I will snip them all off with scissors, I don't want the plant putting energy into flowers and seeds. My New Zealand spinach has an interesting growing habit. Here you can see the plants have started to creep along the ground. I understand this plant just sprawls and provides rampant ground cover throughout the Summer. Haven't picked any yet, not big enough.
I planted out some of my leeks today. Don't leek seedlings grow so slowly? These and my other variety Musselburgh have been in pots for months now, they just slowly creep along. This one here is Bulgarian Giant. I saw a picture in a catalogue and couldn't resist. Apparently the shafts might get to 3 feet in length.
I will provide lots of well rotted manure and lots of water throughout the Summer and let's see if I end up with a Bulgarian giant! Has anyone grown them before?
They should take off in a couple of weeks time!

5 Comments:

At 8:48 PM, Blogger Mr. H. said...

I have never even considered snipping the flower heads off potato plants to provide for a... bigger or earlier yeild? I may have to try that on a few of my plants. Thanks for the idea.

If the conditions are right, warm enough, your New Zealand spinach will go crazy. I grew it a couple years ago and really enjoyed the plant, it took forever to germinate though.

 
At 3:20 AM, Anonymous kitsapFG said...

I have not grown Bulgarian Giant leeks before but regularly grow Musselburgh. I actually did not start any leeks for the 2009 garden though and am feeling just a little sorry that I made that choice. Oh well.

My potato plants always flower profusely and it never seems to really affect the production at all. I think potatoes have a rather charming little flower so I just leave them be and enjoy them.

 
At 5:09 AM, Anonymous Sarah said...

I am glad to hear leeks grow slowly as I was beginning to get worried about mine being so tiny. It's the first time I have grown leeks...... bleu solaise. Hope yours get to the full 3ft.

 
At 2:24 PM, Blogger Toni said...

Hi! Greetings from sunny Wyoming!

I have never grown leeks... maybe next year!

 
At 5:35 PM, Blogger Sylvana said...

I love the flowers on the Sarpo Axona! I would grow them just for the flowers.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

>