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Rust on Leeks

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 3:04 pm
by Primrose
For the second season running my leeks are starting to look as if they're developing a bad rust infection.
I try to move them around on mu veg patch every year but location options are limited. Is this is a soil infected problem or caused by weather conditions?. When the rust hits this early it really seems to impede their growth and I wonder if there's anything i can do to halt it. i've stripped away some of the worst infected outer layers but last year when I did this the infection still continued

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:09 pm
by Westi
Blimey, it's early for rust Primrose.

I don't think I'd take any layers off this early, obviously the spores will be around later in the season as well so will just attack the soft growth layers and you'll end up with mush. I read somewhere if you rub vaseline on the rust spots when you first note them it stops them exploding their generation of spores out onto the other plants and making it worse. I only remembered that as I get rust every year as well - not this early though! I'm planning to try it so will feed back, if I remember to buy some & note the rust in time though!

Westi

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:59 pm
by sally wright
Dear primrose,
there are some rust resistant leek varieties coming onto the market, you might want to look out for them. Groundsel is an alternative host for rust so keep this down on your patch if you can.
Regards Sally Wright.

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:35 pm
by Monika
Primrose, we started getting rust this early about three or four years ago after never having suffered from it before. And I was told by a local but nationally known onion and leek chap that once you have got it, there is really nothing you can do. I just leave them growing and have not found that the rust inhibits growth, just makes the outer leaves look horrible. All at the best!

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 8:30 pm
by Parsons Jack
I always seem to get rust on my leeks as well.

I've always just left them alone. It doesn't seem to stop them growing, just makes them look unsightly :)

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:05 pm
by Westi
One of mine is in flower?? Forget the rust - in flower????

Any ideas why? It's in the first bed I planted of the ones that were getting too big to leave in pots? Where they too big it got stressed in the replanting, but it is only one, so could something else triggered it? Mr Mole has been active but not in the actual row but between plants, luckily!

Westi

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:42 pm
by Primrose
yes, being in flower is really early. I wonder if it could have been stressed by extreme growing conditions earlier on ? Leeks do seem to behave very much like onions n this respect and do this if they don't like what is happening to them, especially lack of water. Hopefully it will be restricted to one plant but in my bitter experience, once one starts the rest seem to follow in quick succession. :(

Re: Rust on Leeks

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:24 pm
by Pawty
I often get rust on leeks (although not last year strangely ).

Bad me this year - they're still growing in a pot in the cold from and currently resemble chives.... May be a bit pot bound. I'll put them in the ground soon (when I get spare time and the grounds soft enough to dig - its solid at the moment). They'll grow, but may be a bit smaller than normal.... I'm sure small veg is the trend at the moment .....

Pawty