eek! my leeks are bolting

nodwah

I just noticed that some of my leeks are running to seed. I wondered if it's because we had a hot April and very cold summer and now it's warm again - do they think they've had winter and now it's spring?

can I still eat them? It's a shame as they're only as thick as my thumb maybe, I was hoping for more.

I heard on t'radio that all food is going to be expensive coz of the weather, from poor pea crops to animal fodder, it's going to affect everything, we need to all get sowing what we can just now don't we?

Zazen999

Hi.
When they go to seed you usually get a thick inner section - how old are they???
To be honest it has been such a strange year that anything is possible. I am due to sow some more myself on the next root day.
I grow onions year round and have to keep an eye on them to stop them going to seed [i lose track to be honest], but then just use those ones for soup as they are too hard for anything else. Probably the same for leeks. My first leeks this year are also just about thumb width, so i am going to start harvesting soon to give the others space to grow inbetween.

nodwah

They're my spring sowings, and yes they have a thick middle but I'm using them in soup!

All my red onions went to seed too and they were from sets.

Agutka

Almost everything I planted this year, April and June, bolted! Except the marrow, which is a crazy plant anyway, and sugar snaps (which managed the grand height of half a foot compared to usual six).
I bought celery, which has not grown an inch yet, although the baby leeks are still baby. I find the same happens every year, they grow into skinny little plants and stay that way until you clear the patches in autumn. Then they grow into leeks over winter...
I have let everything just get on with it, as have not had time or energy to play in the garden too much, and have been amazed by the plants some veg turn into. And at least I now have lovely home-made raddish seeds for next year...

nodwah

Yeah most of my plants are not normal this year: sugar snaps just didn't happen basically;, broaad bean, loving it; french beans all curly and stunted etc etc. we didn't get it as wet as down south but we sure had some very cold days in July.
My first year growing sweetcorn and they're just showing the tassels now, I'll ahve to start covering them with fleece at night.

Nikki

Yes it's the unusual weather confusing them. They bolt early because the weather has been hot then cold and confuses them into a second growing cycle. My red onions bolted very early. I have read bolted onions do not store well, but I have also been told by another veg grower that it wouldn't be a problem and to pull the flower off. We pulled our onions early because of the wet weather and they seem fine so far.

Hepcat

The leaves on my onions from seed seem to have died back very early, no bolting though. Leeks seem ok so far too, fingers crossed as they're still only tiddlers!