scallion are one of the few veg that can be reap over the wintertime , create them a democratic choice for gardens andallotments . Homegrown leeks are also noticeably sweet and more tender than their commercially - grown alternatives , while also being a true crop that does n’t require much attention or expertise .
Growing Leeks: A Quick Snapshot
When to Sow – Feb - May
When to Plant – Apr - Jul
When to Harvest – Jul - Apr
Average issue per plant life – 0.25 kg
Spacing – 15 cm
Depth – 0.5 cm
How to Grow Leeks at Home
Leeks are such an easy vegetable to produce at home . Although they ’re slow - maturate , they do n’t need much care once they have been planted out , so long as you ’re able to meet their canonical requirements .
Growing Requirements for Leeks
Leeks do best in gay and overt site , but they ’ll grow in fond shade too . They ’re exceedingly stalwart , so you wo n’t take to care about wintertime frosts and freezes affecting your crop .
Although quite tolerant when it amount to soil type , strain to plant your Allium porrum in soil that ’s fat , but not excessively ample . If your soil is too rich , you ’ll end up with lots of tough , leafy growth , without any of that beautiful bid root .
This is whymany gardener implant their leek into beds that have antecedently had potatoes in them . The soil was enriched for the potato , but will have relieve up by the time the leeks go in . However , if you determine to do this , give the soil a couple of weeks to square off after harvesting your potatoes – leeks choose firm soil .
endeavor to also avoid planting your scallion into any beds that have just had leeks grow in them . This spreads disease , making it important topractice harvest rotation . Traditionally , scallion follow on fromcabbages , lettuces , and peas .
How to Grow Leeks from Seed
Although leeks can be verbatim sow in the fountain , they take a while to mature . Since they require a prime growing site , most gardeners select to start their leeks off in modules or container . The untested plants will then be moved outside early in the summer , once other natural spring crops have been harvested .
When begin leek seeds , it ’s dependable to use faculty trays to downplay root disturbance when planting out . Although your leek come will germinate in a criterion , multi - purpose compost , they ’ll do well in a finer and lighter mix . Try combine sieve compost with some perlite or sand to reach this .
How to Sow Leek Seeds in Modules:
Temperature is n’t too crucial when germinating leek seeds – they ’ll sprout at anywhere between 7 ° C to 32 ° C . However , the optimum germination temperature is 21 ° coke , with this dropping by a few degrees at night , making a windowsill in your home a well position .
Keep the tray consistently damp – they should never be allow to dry out .
It will take between two to three weeks for your leek seeds to develop . Once they do , give them a week or so to develop before slim them down to one seedling per module .
Direct Sowing Leek Seeds:
Again , keep the seeds moist during dry spells .
Once they have germinated , thin out your seedling out to get out about 5 cm of space between each plant . You ’ll need to thin them out again in a few week to give each leek 10 - 15 centimeter of quad . Do n’t be tempted to thin them to 15 cm too early on on – some may end up dying due to the atmospheric condition or plague , so it ’s always unspoilt to go away extra seedlings in as insurance .
How to Plant Leeks Outside
Once your leeks are about15 - 20 cm in stature , they ’re quick to be planted out .
Hardening Off
Before planting your leeks out , you ’ll necessitate to first acclimatize them to their new environment by hardening them off .
This means moving your tray outdoors for a duet of 60 minutes on a dry and cheery sidereal day , before take them back in . reduplicate the next day , but for a dyad of hours longer , and so on , until your leek have gayly spent the Nox outside .
Dibbing Holes
Leeks are imbed a little otherwise than other vegetables . You ’ll necessitate a dibble , or any long and rounded piece of wood that ’s about 3 cm in diameter .
Poke your dibble into the territory to produce holes that are about 15 cm thick . Space each hole about 15 cm aside .
Planting Out
You ’ll now need to set each scallion into a hole . seek to step in with them as little as potential – simply drop each seedling , beginning downwards , into a hole .
If the roots are too long and are forestall the plants from sitting in their holes by rights , essay twisting them as you drop them . Alternatively , give the roots a minuscule clipping so that they ’re no longer than 10 cm .
Now for the important part – do n’t occupy the holes in !
Instead , grab yourwatering canor garden hosepipe and fill up the holes in with water . This will dislodge enough stain to cover over the root , while also helping to blanch the fore as it produce .
Of course , you could also plant leeks in the same way that you do other works , without ensuring that the fore is at a sealed deepness . However , the part of the root word that produce underground is the in demand white part of the leek that savor the best . Grow your scallion too far up and you ’ll miss out on that .
How to Plant Leeks in a Greenhouse
Leeks are n’t commonly grown ina glasshouse . Since they take up quite a bit of space and are also happy to conform to weather extremum , most gardeners select to develop their leeks outdoors .
That being said , a greenhouse is still extremely useful when starting leek seeds in trays . They provide a protect , frost - free environment that ’s tender during the solar day but cooler at nighttime – exactly what leek source and seedling need to fly high !
How to Care for Leeks
While leeks may take their time to mature , they do n’t need much care or attention as they do so . check that that their basic needs are met and you ’ll be able to pretty much forget about them until harvest time .
Watering Leeks
Leeks take about2.5 cm of water a week . Rainfall usually provides this , although manual top - ups may be ask during dry spells . Do n’t leave that scallion origin are shallow , so your leeks will dry out faster than other vegetables in your garden .
The most important aspect to lacrimation leeks is to keep things consistent . discrepant watering will lead to tough stem turn , so seek to observe filth wet levels .
Feeding Leeks
When it number to nitrogen , leeks are heavy tributary . For the biggest output , applya slow - release , world-wide - purpose fertilisera couple of hebdomad after plant your leeks out . go along feed them every few week until harvesting time .
Mulching Leeks
As observe , leeks usually need a heavy quantity of nutrients . Even just a few weeds protrude up in the soil around your leek can interfere with this , draw it significant to keep your growing area weed - destitute .
However , you do n’t want to be invariably weeding around your leeks and disturbing their shallow roots either . This is wherea mulchcomes in – not only will this suppress widow’s weeds , but it also helps to modulate dirt wet and temperature , while feast the grease as it breaks down .
Shredded leaves , grass clippings , and straw all workplace well as a leek mulch . Lay this around your plants presently after planting them out , making sure that the mulch does n’t fill the hole that you dibbed .
How to Harvest Leeks
Leeks are ready to be glean as soon as they ’re pencil - thin , so it ’s wholly up to you when you glean them . That being said , many choose to harvest a few smaller scallion at the start of the time of year , but then leave them to mature and grow until the autumn / wintertime .
Of course , the miscellany of Allium porrum that you choose to grow will also order when they should be harvested . Summer leeks wo n’t do well when lead in the ground over winter , so involve to be glean by other autumn , while wintertime leeks can be get out in the ground for month after they hit maturity .
To glean a scallion , inserta garden forkunderneath it and mildly prise it upwards . Keep your other helping hand on the leaves and tardily pull the leek out .
How to Store Leeks
Allium porrum savor best when used sassy . However , you may also wrap them in a moist theme towel and then post them into a punch charge plate bag – this way , they’ll keep for a week or two in the electric refrigerator .
Leeks can also be freeze for up to 10 months . To do this , you ’ll require to :
While it ’s useful have a leek supply in the freezer , get your timings ripe and you ’ll be able to harvest fresh leeks almost all year - round , meaning that farsighted - term computer storage pick wo n’t be necessary .
How to Prepare & Cook Leeks
To prepare your freshly - harvested leek , you ’ll first need to trim off their base , along with the very coarse , dark unripe result right at the top . These can be saved and add to homemade stock .
Then , slit each leek in half lengthways to disclose all of its layers . Even though the leek may have seemed clear on the exterior , you ’ll now notice small bits of dirt wedged in those layers .
To clean house it , hold each slice leek under prevail H2O . Use your digit to devotee through the layers , ensuring that any grease is wash away . Leave your leek to drain before slice or dicing as expect .
Although leek have an Allium cepa - like predilection , they ’re much milder and sweet . They ’re high yet sophisticated , giving them a fantastic versatility in the kitchen . A few dishes that you could fake up to showcase your homegrown leek harvest are :
Common Leek Problems
in the main quite intrepid and resilient , leeks do n’t normally succumb to gadfly and diseases . However , a few to be aware of include :
Popular Leek Varieties to Grow
Leeks can be split into three category , depending on when they should be harvested ; summer , autumn , and winter . Here are some of the best varieties for each :
Best Summer Leek Varieties:
Best Autumn Leek Varieties:
Best Winter Leek Varieties:
Conclusion
Growing your own leek think that you ’ll be able to bask freshly glean nutrient even in the midst of winter , which is always a rewarding feeling . As an added bonus , they ’ll taste well and will be so much more nutrient - dense than anything you would find at a supermarket , even though they ’re such a humiliated - maintenance vegetable to grow . What more could you want ?
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