17-11-2003, 02:32 PM
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Does no one know? - Sun and Winter Vegetables
In article , (Steve Harris) writes:
| In article ,
| (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
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| Will my Mussleborough leeks actually grow any bigger by January?
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| No, but they won't grow significantly even in full sun. The sun is
| too anaemic to be of much use in the UK over that period.
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| Thanks, so to complete my understanding, the reason Mussleborough
| harvest is recommended for January is:
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| 1. They may not be bigger but they'll have matured to a finer taste?
| 2. They will be *available* in January while an Autumn variety would rot
| or freeze?
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| If #2 is the reason, why not simply plant a late variety and harvest any
| time between September and April that takes your fancy?
You can, though leeks will start to form seed heads as soon as they
start to grow in the spring. They remain fine for eating until
the shoot starts to turn woody.
There is likely to be some difference in hardiness, but most leeks
will overwinter. I doubt that there is much difference in flavour,
so much as they ARE available in late winter and early spring, when
previous little else is.
No, I don't know the details of which is best and what the problems
are, but I don't think that the differences are large.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
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