Your comments and tips

30 Mar 14, Matt from Canberra (Australia - temperate climate)

You are too impatient, that is the only thing you are doing wrong. Leeks grow very slow when grown from seed. We grow perennial leeks to avoid this problem and have leeks growing all year.

Reply or Post a new comment

31 Aug 13, E (Australia - temperate climate)

I'm also in Melb. I've found things have started to pick up in the last few days due to the warmer weather, so your leeks may begin to improve. Aside from that, how is the soil that they're in? Is it dense, or loose? They really do seem to like loose soil as the leeks ends in my compost seem to attest.

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Mar 13, Gayle (Australia - temperate climate)

What is meant by blanching the stems while the leek is growing.

Reply or Post a new comment

22 Dec 13, Norma (Australia - temperate climate)

Blanching is hilling up around the stems with lucerne hay or something similar (news paper) which keep the stems light coloured and tender

Reply or Post a new comment

20 Mar 13, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Blanching means that the bottom of the stems end up white and edible, instead of going green and tough.

Reply or Post a new comment

20 Mar 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)

Gayle, it is the method of protecting the lower part of the stem from the sun . This results in a more tender stem when eaten! Different methods can be used suggest you google Stem Blanching and read our Brisbane Annette MacFarland article.

Reply or Post a new comment

09 Feb 13, Maree (Australia - temperate climate)

If you plant your leeks in spring or late winter, they will tend to want to bolt to seed in the warmer months. I suggest planting them in autumn, and they will grow slowly through winter. They should be a good size when the warmer weather arrives, so you can then harvest them before they go to seed.

Reply or Post a new comment

15 Jan 13, Mick (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My leeks are into their 2nd year some nearing the end of their lifespan.Use cut and come again method. The extreme heat has sent some to seed., Keep weeds out, I grow clovers amongst em and put in plenty of mushroom compost in soil at start nothing else just water

Reply or Post a new comment

15 Dec 12, Beverley (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have the same problem as Taryn, leeks small and flowering. Could anyone please comment and offer helpful suggestions.

Reply or Post a new comment

03 Sep 13, Maurice (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I used to have the same problem, apparently many types of leeks don't do so well in warmer areas. I now grow perennial leeks and they perform far better. I got mine from mudflower blogspot

Reply or Post a new comment