Rust on leeks

[lizcolvinParticipant]

Hello, My leeks, both autumn and winter, are beginning to show signs of rust. Apart from watering them is there anything I can do? Would it help if I pull off all effected leaves? I feel it is all my fault, because I had been thinking how amazingly good they looked – so I feel it is a case of pride going before a fall.

[charlesModerator]

Hi Liz,
Rest assured it’s quite normal and I think it’s great you were feeling proud. My leeks have some rust too, watering helps and so does removing the worst affected leaves by pulling so they come away near the shank.
I can’t prove this reduces rust but we just did it and it looks a damn sight better! I figure it must reduce the spores that otherwise multiply, and I compost them.

[RhysParticipant]

Liz

I have not had rust, but my garden has succumbed to allium leaf miner the past 18 months.

As I result, I decided to sow modules as Charles recommends, plant at very high density and start harvesting my Autumn Mammoth leeks mid August as younger plants so the crop is harvested before the disease danger period in late September/early October, which will also free up space for spring cabbage seedlings in late September.

So if you are really worried, you could just harvest some now and enjoy eating them in late summer! I just made onion, leek and potato soup, all freshly harvested produce….

[lizcolvinParticipant]

Thank you, I shall take off the sad leaves tomorrow, actually it is amazing how giving them a good drenching has jollied them up, so I shall water them when sad and tidy them up for my own amour propre if nothing else.

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