Once a leek bolts to a pod is it unedible?

Once a leek goes to flower, in my experience, the stem becomes woody and inedible.

You can slice the leek lengthways and just discard the hard stem in the middle and eat the rest, but they don't usually flower until they are big enough to eat.

Ours do at times Stera... Very annoying!

Yes I agree with the early bolting. It seems to happen quite frequently to me also. I have been doing quite a bit of research on them and I am wondering if I am not "hilling" them often enough to prevent them from thinking they are done. Any comments?

I pull off any bad outer leaves but are you saying I should actually cut off the leaves but should I cut off just above the start of the green level?

MG its never happened to me - guess I've been lucky. Perhaps climate has something to do with it.

Hawley an old gardener told me to just twist off the top couple of inches (or more or less depending on how big the seedlings are that you're planting), He also twisted off some of the longer roots as well, then made a deep hole with a dibber and popped the leek in so that not much of it was showing above soil level. You then water into the hole, which washes the soil down and covers the roots. I've done this ever since (though I can't always bring myself to twist some of the roots off!)

Will give it a go Stera...

Thanks everyone. I'll try anything as leeks are my favorite so I plant lots of them.

Ok will try all of these with different plants and let you know what works.