The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: BML on July 01, 2011, 03:26:28 pm

Title: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: BML on July 01, 2011, 03:26:28 pm

I first grew leeks last year and they all seemed to come in together.  Is there a way to keep them, will they freeze?

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: BML on July 02, 2011, 11:36:20 am

I ask the question because I see them on the menu of a local high class restaurant claiming their vegetables are all home grown.

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: YorkshireLass on July 02, 2011, 11:41:59 am

I believe they can be left standing in the ground for a long time - now I haven't grown them myself so not sure if they would need to be a bolt-resistant variety. But a friend of mine had hers "standing" over last winter through the snow etc (like with kale).

Not sure if that helps??
:)

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: YorkshireLass on July 02, 2011, 11:44:05 am

PS I presume they will freeze well once chopped up, (like supermarket bags of chopped onions), but you may end up with a solid hunk of leek-ice!  ;D Not that I've done that with onions, peppers, or even mushrooms before....  ::)

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: pottsie on July 02, 2011, 01:02:35 pm

They do tend to come at once, i chopped my leeks last year and placed them in to indibvidual use bagsm, they all worked great and we ate them all through till spring when the new ones were ready, they have all gone to seed now but luckily ive got a new batch coming threw.

Rob.  ;D

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: Hermit on July 02, 2011, 01:32:13 pm

I have always just kept them in the ground till I need them.

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: OhLaLa on July 02, 2011, 03:32:39 pm

You can keep them in the ground but they will go to seed (flower). The middle (the flowers stem) is unedible.

I wash and chop mine, blanch for 1 minute in boiling water and then freeze.

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: BML on July 03, 2011, 11:08:58 am

Many thanks.  It looks like its worth leaving some in and having a go at freezing some to go in the freezer with my Broad Beans.

Title: Re: Leeks, can they be kept.
Post by: ruedeleglise on July 03, 2011, 12:52:00 pm

I have kept them for a week or more in the fridge but for longer conservation freezing once blanched works well. Have also found that "winter" leeks keep well in the ground and don't "go to seed" when it is cool.
I am new to this site and don't yet know how to start a topic, so please forgive me possibly doing this the wrong way....but I have a problem and any help or advice would be most gratefully received:

For the second year running I have lost 50% of my leek plants. All chewed off just underground. The hole when excavated always leads to a gallery such as moles dig. Often there is in fact a mole hill nearby. I can only think that some perishing mouse is sharing the mole run. Any advice out there? And what to do to protect my Leeks?