impudent leeks are not green onion . Learn everything you need to love about develop Allium porrum to add a mild onion feeling to your favorite dishes .
Better Homes & Gardens
Leeks are a popular andeasy - to - grow vegetableoften used to add a meek Allium cepa flavor to soup , casseroles , salads , and conjure up - fries , but they can also be eat raw . While a Allium porrum is part of the Allium cepa family , it differs from an onion . The edible part of a leek is usually its white stalk ( the white part that grow about 6 column inch above the ground ) , although the dark unripe leaf add a delicious sapidity when added to stock and soup . A scallion does n’t have a incandescent lamp or hollow leaves like an Allium cepa . Instead , it has encircle blue - gullible leave that form the stalk at its base and arm outward at the top .
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Leeks can be raise from seed or ready - grown seedling . Keep in nous that you need to start the planting mental process as early as potential because leeks require a long growing season of about 120 to 150 days .
The ASPCA warns that leek are toxic to dog , cats , and horses .
Where to Plant Leeks
Leek cum can be sown in containers or a seedbed before being moved to their net growing place in the garden . It ’s right to prepare the leek ’s final planting bottom several weeks before planting by prefer a gay locating that does n’t become waterlogged in winter . The grime should be well - drain and enrich with well - composted constitutional subject .
Most leeks postulate a longsighted grow season of about 120 to 150 sidereal day . Choose from these methods for grow leeks from seed .
How and When to Plant Leeks
Jumpstart your natural spring gardeningin zone 2 - 8 by start leek seeds indoors in flat about eight to 10 weeks before the last expected frost date . After about 10 workweek from seeding , the seedling will be the size of a pencil . Harden off the plantsbefore transplant them outdoors . irrigate them thoroughly the day before transplanting them . In geographical zone 9 - 11 , plant Allium porrum in the evenfall for a saltation harvest .
If you do n’t have the blank or time to begin seedling indoors , buy transplant at the garden meat and coiffure them out in the garden about three weeks before the last outflow hoar date .
engraft the seedlings in 6 - inch deep hollow , leaving only a dyad of inches of the plant above the soil blood line . Instead of backfilling the holes with stain , fill each hole with water to settle the soil around the root . Planting leeks in deep holes create tenacious clean root word .
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To get even longer stems , gradually mound soil around the stems ormulch them with strawduring the develop season . This process , known as pale , pass water the stems white and mild and encourages the plants to get magniloquent .
Leek Care Tips
Leeks are easy to grow whether you institute an early variety or a dusty - resistant sort for declivity and winter harvest time . However , they are a high - maintenance plant because they postulate transplantation and hill for blanching . It ’s also important to keep the container free from weeds at all times and water the leek during dry weather condition .
Light
Allium porrum grow best infull sun . Plant them where they willreceive at least 6 hours of verbatim sun a day .
Soil and Water
Plant leeks in organically productive , well - drained flaxen soil . In early bound , fix the soil for planting by release it over to 6 in deep and working in manure and compost . Give Allium porrum plantsconsistent wateringduring the grow season to ensure the stain hold a average moisture floor .
Temperature and Humidity
scallion grow best between 55 ° F and 75 ° F . The industrial plant are somewhat frost - tolerant , so the harvest can usually be delayed beyond the first span of unaccented Frost in most areas .
Fertilizer
Pruning
Leeks do n’t require prune other than to take away any dead or pathologic leaves .
Harvesting
When it ’s time to harvest leeks , lift them directly out of the footing when the stems are heavyset . It ’s easiest to tease apart leeks from the soil by grasping the nucleotide of each Allium porrum and rocking it back and off until you’re able to pull it easily . Pull baby leek in early summer for salads , but wait to glean them until the modest halt thicken to 1 to 1½-inch in diameter in belated summer .
Pests and Problems
If you notice that your leek have orange raised spots , they could be infected with leek rusting , a disease that often emerges in dampish weather . It ’s dear to immediately remove any affected plants with leek rust from your garden . They are also vulnerable to onion maggots and thrips .
How to Propagate Leeks
Seeds are n’t the only way to circularise leeks . If you swerve the leaf from garden leeks rather than pull the intact plant from the soil , you’re able to irrigate the root base , and the leek will charge up new increase . As with green onion , leekbases can also be pull up and regrownin a container of water .
Types of Leeks
‘Roxton’
Allium porrum‘Roxton ’ is an former leek variety that can be harvested in other summer in many areas . This upright plant grows quick , and its supple stalks are stark for broiling .
‘Giant Musselburgh’
Allium ampeloprasum‘Giant Musselburgh ’ is a big , Scottish heirloom variety that is widely adaptable . This hardy performer bring about 2- to 3 - inch - diam leeks with blue - gray leaves and a mild flavor . It ’s good for fall and wintertime harvesting .
‘Caratan’
Allium porrum‘Carentan ’ is a chunky French heirloom with thick sorry - green leaves and white stems that can grow up to 2 inch in diameter and 8 inch long . This late - season kind is exceptionally tender and withstands cold weather .
Leek Companion Plants
Basil
Sun - eff basiland other redolent herbs , likethymeandrosemary , repel pests and protect leeks from harmful insects while adding supererogatory flavour to your garden . In addition , herbs with deep root oxygenate the soil , making it more welcoming for leek roots .
Carrots
Carrotsenjoy the same well - drained , rich , sandy soil as leeks . They pause up the grunge for well-heeled admittance by outflow roots , and the leeks repay them by providing lifelike auspices against cultivated carrot root fly . industrial plant carrots before leeks , as they take longer to reach maturity .
Strawberries
Strawberry plantsenjoy full Sunday and consistent moisture like leeks . They also pull pollinators and suppress weed maturation with their dense foliation . In commutation , the odor of leeks repels many strawberry mark pest .
Frequently Asked Questions
Most gardeners maturate scallion because of their tender white and wanton green parts . However , the darker green parts are full of smack , although they take to be cooked longer to be tender . Adding the darker unripe parts of leek to your homemade soup livestock will give it an additional nip hike .
Leeks that are not blanched last about two month in the freezer , while etiolate leek last a class . To blanch , slice the leek , moil them in piss for a minute , and then transplant them to a bowl of deoxyephedrine water to cool . Air - dry them and stop dead them in a single layer for an hr before transferring them to a freezer bag .
Because Allium porrum grow in sandlike dirt , they need to be thoroughly washed so they wo n’t introduce a farinaceous grain to your dish . trim back them in half and submerge them in insensate piss . Agitate them smartly or rooter start the layer to free any trapped sand .
Leek . ASPCA
