Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What is this?

I have had some greenery growing in the coldframe all season.  At first I thought it may have been a flower  coming up from a missed tuber or bulb.  But nope, it is either Leek or Elephant Garlic.  Both were planted in the vicinity last year, and both crops failed (or so I thought).  Pretty sure I dug up the rotting elephant garlic so logic would suggest these are leeks right?


(They are the thicker stalks right along the edge of the coldframe, surrounded by onions and weeds.)

Here is the flower I cut....it tastes scallion-y:


So what could it be?  If it is in fact leek than it needs to come out before becoming inedible, but if it is elephant garlic than it needs more time to develop bulbs.  HELP!

9 comments:

Erin said...

my leeks never got a flower bulb at the top? but maybe I just never let it go that long! I am going to search your blog for your asparagus stuff but quick question - did you put directly in ground? I am thinking now I might make a raised bed... I should have gotten this particular wild hair done before hubby left so he could dig that big ol' trench, lol!!

Erin said...

never mind, I found your bed pics!

Kelly said...

They need depth, so raised is the way to go IMO Erin! Keep me updated.....

Thomas said...

I don't knoe Kel but that looks exactly like my hardneck garlic, though mine show no signs of developing scapes yet. Hmmmmm.

Momma_S said...

The leaves and flower look like some form of garlic to me... I wonder if it's growing oddly/differently because it's a volunteer...

Kelly said...

Ok, so we are all thinking elephant garlic then? Thanks everyone for the input. Maybe a little bulbet was formed and grew for me over the last year.

(Thomas- my few lone hardneck cloves are starting to send up scapes, but nothing close to the one I cut today.)

linna said...

DEFINATELY A GARLIC SCAPE!!! Everyone, make Scape Pesto, it is the best!

Dani said...

I would love to grow some elephant garlic! I don't think they can handle the temps here though.

Kelly said...

It's funny.....I ordered some and planted it last Spring which of coarse was very cold and wet. Nothing happened and the huge bulbs started to rot so I pulled them up and chucked 'em. And now it seems as though a little something was left behind, I hope I can save these 2 and have them give me a supply of seed bulbs for next year!