Leeks are a popular and easy-to-grow vegetable often used in order so as to add a delicate onion style to soups, casseroles, salads, and stir-fries, nevertheless they are often eaten raw. Whereas a leek is part of the onion family, it differs from an onion. The edible part of a leek is commonly its white stalk (the white half that grows about 6 inches above the underside), although the darkish inexperienced leaves add a delicious style when added to stock and soups. A leek doesn’t have a bulb or gap leaves like an onion. In its place, it has encircling blue-green leaves that sort the stalk at its base and division outward on the prime.
Leeks could be raised from seed or ready-grown seedlings. Perceive that it is important start the planting course of as early as attainable on account of leeks require an prolonged rising season of about 120 to 150 days.
The ASPCA warns that leeks are toxic to canines, cats, and horses.
Leek Overview
| Genus Title | Allium ampeloprasum syn. Allium porrum |
| Widespread Title | Leek |
| Plant Kind | Vegetable |
| Mild | Photo voltaic |
| Peak | 1 to 3 ft |
| Width | 1 to 2 ft |
| Foliage Coloration | Blue/Inexperienced |
| Zones | 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Propagation | Seed |
| Downside Solvers | Deer Resistant |
The place to Plant Leeks
Leek seeds could be sown in containers or a seedbed sooner than being moved to their remaining rising place inside the yard. It’s biggest to prepare the leek’s remaining planting mattress various weeks sooner than planting by choosing a sunny location that doesn’t develop to be waterlogged in winter. The soil must be well-drained and enriched with well-composted pure matter.
Most leeks require an prolonged rising season of about 120 to 150 days. Choose from these methods for rising leeks from seed.
- Start leek seeds indoors. In USDA Zones 2-8, plant leek seeds indoors eight to 10 weeks sooner than the ultimate spring frost date, after which set the seedlings out inside the yard after that date in your area when the temperature reaches 45°F. In Zones Sep 11, plant leeks inside the fall for a spring crop.
- Plant immediately inside the yard. You possibly can too sow seed immediately inside the yard in rows 12–18 inches apart about three weeks sooner than the ultimate spring frost date, although the following crops may be smaller. In hotter zones, plant seeds immediately in your fall yard for a spring crop.
How and When to Plant Leeks
Jumpstart your spring gardening in Zones 2-8 by starting leek seeds indoors in flats about eight to 10 weeks sooner than the ultimate anticipated frost date. After about 10 weeks from seeding, the seedlings can be the dimension of a pencil. Harden off the crops sooner than transplanting them open air. Water them completely the day sooner than transplanting them. In Zones Sep 11, plant leeks inside the fall for a spring harvest.
For many who don’t have the home or time to start seedlings indoors, buy transplants on the yard center and set them out inside the yard about three weeks sooner than the ultimate spring frost date.
Plant the seedlings in 6-inch deep holes, leaving solely a couple of inches of the plant above the soil line. In its place of backfilling the holes with soil, fill each hole with water to settle the soil throughout the roots. Planting leeks in deep holes produces prolonged white stems.
To get even longer stems, steadily mound soil throughout the stems or mulch them with straw in the middle of the rising season. This course of, commonly known as blanching, makes the stems white and delicate and encourages the crops to develop taller.
Leek Care Options
Leeks are easy to develop whether or not or not you plant an early choice or a cold-tolerant choice for fall and winter harvests. However, they seem to be a high-maintenance plant on account of they require transplanting and hilling for blanching. It’s moreover important to keep up the containers free from weeds at all times and water the leeks all through dry local weather.
Mild
Leeks develop biggest in full photo voltaic. Plant them the place they will receive a minimum of 6 hours of direct daylight a day.
Soil and Water
Plant leeks in organically rich, well-drained sandy soil. In early spring, put collectively the soil for planting by turning it over to 6 inches deep and dealing in manure and compost. Give leek crops fixed watering in the middle of the rising season to verify the soil maintains a medium moisture stage.
Temperature and Humidity
Leeks develop biggest between 55° F and 75°F. The crops are significantly frost-tolerant, so the harvest can typically be delayed previous the first couple of sunshine frosts in most areas.
Fertilizer
After setting the crops out inside the yard, apply a transplant reply of half-strength 20-20-20 or 10-10-10 fertilizer to get the crops off to start. Observe the product instructions.
Pruning
Leeks don’t require pruning aside from to remove any ineffective or diseased leaves.
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Harvesting
When it’s time to reap leeks, carry them straight out of the underside when the stems are thick. It’s greatest to loosen leeks from the soil by grasping the underside of each leek and rocking it forwards and backwards until you probably can pull it merely. Pull youngster leeks in early summer season for salads, nevertheless wait to reap them until the lower stems thicken to 1 to 1½-inch in diameter in late summer season.
Pests and Points
For many who uncover that your leeks have orange raised spots, they could very effectively be contaminated with leek rust, a sickness that often emerges in damp local weather. It’s biggest to straight away take away any affected crops with leek rust out of your yard. They’re moreover weak to onion maggots and thrips.
The best way to Propagate Leeks
Seeds aren’t the one technique to propagate leeks. For many who decrease the leaves from yard leeks barely than pull the whole plant from the soil, you probably can water the muse base, and the leek will ship up new growth. As with inexperienced onions, leek bases could be pulled up and regrown in a container of water.
Types of Leeks
‘Roxton’
Allium porrum ‘Roxton’ is an early leek choice which may be harvested in early summer season in a number of areas. This upright plant grows shortly, and its slender stalks are good for grilling.
‘Massive Musselburgh’
Allium ampeloprasum ‘Massive Musselburgh’ is a giant, Scottish heirloom choice that is broadly adaptable. This hardy performer produces 2- to 3-inch-diameter leeks with blue-gray leaves and a delicate style. It’s good for fall and winter harvests.
‘Caratan’
Allium porrum ‘Carentan’ is a chunky French heirloom with thick blue-green leaves and white stems which will develop as a lot as 2 inches in diameter and eight inches prolonged. This late-season choice is exceptionally tender and withstands chilly local weather.
Leek Companion Crops
Basil
Photo voltaic-loving basil and totally different aromatic herbs, like thyme and rosemary, repel pests and defend leeks from harmful bugs whereas together with additional style to your yard. In addition to, herbs with deep roots aerate the soil, making it further welcoming for leek roots.
Carrots
Carrots have the benefit of the similar well-drained, rich, sandy soil as leeks. They break up the soil for easier entry by leak roots, and the leeks repay them by providing pure security in the direction of carrot root flies. Plant carrots sooner than leeks, as they take longer to realize maturity.
Strawberries
Strawberry crops have the benefit of full photo voltaic and fixed moisture like leeks. Moreover they attraction to pollinators and suppress weed growth with their dense foliage. In commerce, the odor of leeks repels many strawberry pests.