From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots
take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in
common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.
--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 14/02/2026 10:19, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots
take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in
common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.

I syphon shower water (including shampoo residue) into a water butt and
let it stand for a few hours (cooling). Does not seem to be a problem,
though I water a different area each day so probably do not water the
same area more often than once very five days. Also, just let the water
into the soil, not on the leaves. Do not grow leeks, but runner beans, perpetual spinach, and globe artichokes seem happy.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

Liz Tuddenham <liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid> wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots
take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in
common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.

With the amount of rain werCOve had this winter, probably with yet more to come, itrCOs probable that anything that was in your bath water had been well and truly washed away since last summer. Perhaps for the coming season you might try watering the leeks with any rain water that you might have
collected, or failing that good old tap water. Not every rCygreenrCO idea has been fully thought throughrCa
--
Spike
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:19:44 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots
take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in
common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.

Leek rust? https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/leek-rust
--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:19:44 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots >take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in >common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.

Leek rust? https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/leek-rust

The timing is about right for leek rust but I didn't see any orange
spots or patches.
--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 14/02/2026 21:36, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:19:44 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about >>> 9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted
in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I >>> am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots
take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in
common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for
years previously.

Leek rust? https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/leek-rust

The timing is about right for leek rust but I didn't see any orange
spots or patches.

Just wondering, do they look rather ragged before they die and do they
have redish lines in them?
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 15/02/2026 12:52, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Bob Hobden <hobdens@btinternet.com> wrote:

On 14/02/2026 21:36, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:19:44 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
(Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about >>>>> 9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted >>>>> in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I >>>>> am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots >>>>> take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in >>>>> common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for >>>>> years previously.

Leek rust? https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/leek-rust

The timing is about right for leek rust but I didn't see any orange
spots or patches.

Just wondering, do they look rather ragged before they die and do they
have redish lines in them?

I didn't inspect them very often as I was just leaving them to get on
with growing and was quite surprised when I recently went to see if any
were ready to pick and found they had nearly all died.

The previous year's batch were where I could see them and they seemed to
just stop growing, then become flaccid and flop on the ground before
dying. I didn't notice any obvious coloured lines or spots ar anything
like that.

Plenty to choose from here: <https://media.ahdb.org.uk/media/Default/Imported%20Publication%20Docs/Allium%20crop%20walkers%20guide.pdf>
--
Jeff
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 15/02/2026 12:52, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Bob Hobden <hobdens@btinternet.com> wrote:

On 14/02/2026 21:36, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:19:44 +0000, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid >>>> (Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

Two years running I have had leeks, which appeared to thrive up to about
9 inches in height, suddenly wilt and die. The plots they were planted >>>>> in on the two occasions are about 10ft apart..

During the dry Summer I watered them by siphoning-out my bathwater and I
am wondering if traces of detergent in my hair shampoo could have
reduced the surface tension of the water and affected the way the roots >>>>> take up water and minerals?

I can't think of anything else that the two batches would have had in >>>>> common and leeks have grown succesfully in that bit of the garden for >>>>> years previously.

Leek rust? https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/leek-rust

The timing is about right for leek rust but I didn't see any orange
spots or patches.

Just wondering, do they look rather ragged before they die and do they
have redish lines in them?

I didn't inspect them very often as I was just leaving them to get on
with growing and was quite surprised when I recently went to see if any were ready to pick and found they had nearly all died.

The previous year's batch were where I could see them and they seemed to just stop growing, then become flaccid and flop on the ground before
dying. I didn't notice any obvious coloured lines or spots ar anything like that.

Plenty to choose from here:

<https://media.ahdb.org.uk/media/Default/Imported%20Publication%20Docs/A llium%20crop%20walkers%20guide.pdf>

Thanks for that link.

Gosh! With that lot attacking them, I'm amazed I have ever managed to
grow any leeks at all in the past. Plenty there to think about - but it
looks as though I shan't be able to diagnose the problem without
planting (and probably losing) another batch later this year.
--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk
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