Babington leek - Allium ameloprasum var. babingtonii
Named after Charles Cardale Babington, a contemporary of Charles Darwin, Babington leeks are a native of British coastal areas. The are perennial, growing from a bulb in autumn or early winter and dying back in late summer. If left to flower, plants can reach 2 metres in height.
The leeks are harvested by cutting them off above the bulb rather than digging them up (they can be blanched by piling up soil as they grow). If they are harvested this way in spring, the bulbs will push up another leek that can be left to flower and produce bulbils for expanding your patch. Harvesting is best started in the second year as plants are small the first year and should be left to bulk up (in the main photo you can see a couple of first year plants on the left and the second year plants on the right. The picture was taken in spring).
Like the other alliums, Babington leeks will naturalize in the forest garden - they are extremely hardy, grow well in dappled shade and need little attention when established (Newly planted bulbs should be weeded however, as plants don’t like competition when they are young). Clumps will expand year on year if left to their own devices and bulbils will fall and root themselves. Clumps can be dug up, divided and replanted (or the bulbs eaten) in late summer and autumn. Alliums generally grow well with most plants, especially roses, fruit bushes, carrots, celery, celariac, beet and chamomile, but they inhibit the growth of legumes.
Bulbils can be collected and planted immediately, or dried out for later planting. Dried, they will keep in the fridge or somewhere cool for several weeks (wrap in paper). They can be sown direct but are better sown in pots and transplanted later when signs of shoots appear. Sow throughout the Autumn months. Plant 4 or 5cm deep, with the pointed end downwards. They will usually emerge in late Autumn or early winter and can be transplanted into the ground in early spring.