I cut them down low and then walk on them and they usually break off fairly
well down. The roots and bits left don't get in the way then

Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk
"Andrew" wrote in message
...
: I have only once had a decent second crop so I think it's best to take
them
: out. If you cut them off with shears it leaves the roots in the ground
to
: release the nitrogen nodules into the soil. I have put purple sprouting
and
: January King cabbages where my first lot were. Leeks could also go there
as
: they would enjoy the nitrogen
:
: Interesting. How long should I leave my broad bean nitrogen fixers to do
: their thing? If I transplanted my leeks between the rows of broad bean
: stumps do you think the stumps would cause much disruption when I
: finally came to pull them up?