Nipped off leeks!

[Catherine]

My leeks have been looking really good recently yet yesterday when I got to the plot one leek had been nibbled off at soil level. This happened last year when when we had a mole on the plot but I dont know if this is the culprit. It had not been eaten just nibbled off.

There are two mole hills which appeared last week but are not in the beds.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Catherine, i have never come across Moles doing this, but i have also never come across anything doing that to leeks.

It will be interesting to see what others think.

[Johnboy]

Hi Catherine,
I do not know if you live rural or urban but hereabouts Pheasants are generally the culprits for indiscriminately nipping things. They initially nipped the tops off my Shallots this year and I actually caught one Pheasant in the act! However like OH I have never had my Leeks nipped off by anything.
JB.

[Catherine]

Hi Johnboy No we dont have a problem with pheasants but this year we have had problems with large pidgeons for the first time on our broccoli. Maybe it is that.

[Elaine]

Before we fenced off our plot, we had trouble with pesky rabbits eating everything and used wire netting to protect crops. We didn't protect the leeks, however, as we thought the bunnies wouldn't touch them. wrong! They ate them down to soil level! Cheers.

[Chantal]

Hi Catherine

Rabbits often do the same to leeks on our plots. It's always surprised me, but I've seen them in action.

The leeks have always recovered though, so don't give up on them, just protect them.

[Catherine]

Hi Chantal and Elaine. We have got fencing round our plot but some of it needs replacing. We knew that last year but did not do anything about it so I think that this is another job on the list of Things to Do. Nothing else has been eaten so far, just this one leek. It hasn't even been eaten right through just nibbled half way but it has fallen over.