Leek: from sowing to harvesting. My garden, vegetable garden. Piggy bank of country experience.

And 70 years ago, leeks were unknown to us. Although leek has long been a familiar, well-studied culture for mankind.

The ancient Egyptian manuscripts that archaeologists have recently unearthed talked about the diet of the pyramid builders, which included this culture.

Where exactly the leek came from, scientists still have not figured out, they suggest that its historical homeland is the regions of Mesopotamia (the territory of modern Iran and Iraq).

But even now, the leek is not very common in our summer cottages and household plots, although it is a very healthy plant.

And all because, probably, it has a rather long growing season (150-200 days), so it is very laborious in the growing process, since it must be planted through seedlings.

This scares many summer residents, because seedlings need to be grown, and, and then there’s onions.

But still, leeks are worth planting. After all, it has a lot of useful properties, excellent taste.

Onion without bulb

Leek (or pearl onion) is a biennial herbaceous plant, a close relative.

But, unlike its counterpart, the leek does not have such a large bulb; its long leaves and flexible stem are used for food.

Leek is just a gigantic vegetable, its strong belt-like leaves can rise almost a meter above the bed.

Near the ground, they join into a bundle and go to the depths. If we dig into the ground, we will see there a thickened false stem, or "white leg", of the purest pearly white color.

This "white leg" is the main edible part of the plant, the most valuable part.

The leek begins to form a powerful root system in the first year of life, simultaneously with the development of the roots, it grows a whole fan of flat, long leaves.

The bulb of this culture is also present, but it is small in size, sometimes it is not at all.

Another characteristic feature of the leek is that it does not have a dormant period and it produces new leaves until late autumn, without stopping growth.

In the second year after planting, the onion forms a flower-bearing arrow. In mid-summer, this arrow produces many buds, which soon turn into fragrant whitish, pinkish or purple flowers.

Bumblebees, bees and other flower flies flock to this fragrance in large quantities.

Onion honey has an amazing emerald color and does not crystallize in honeycombs for a long time.

By the end of September, leek seeds ripen, which resemble strong faceted grains of charcoal.

If you want to stock up on your leek seeds, then cut off the seed umbels, tie them into bunches and hang them for ripening (until the seeds are fully ripe).

What is useful pearl prince

Leek is liked by many people; in its taste, it practically does not differ from its fellow, green onion.

But few people know that this plant has much higher beneficial properties than the onion brothers.

Medicinal properties. Do you want to know what diseases pearl onions help get rid of?

Joint diseases. Leek has a high content of sulfur compounds. Due to this, the daily use of onion culture stops inflammation in the bones and joints.
Anemia. Onions have a lot of iron - an important substance for the synthesis of hemoglobin. Helps to restore its level and increased content of vitamin C in the leek.
Problems of the gastrointestinal tract. Leek contributes to the settlement of vital microorganisms in the human intestine. They form a healthy flora and reduce inflammation.
High cholesterol. Pearl onion prevents the appearance of cholesterol plaques, its regular use lowers these figures.
Diseases of the lungs. Leek has a lot of essential oils that have a calming effect on the body. Pearl onions are especially good for flu prevention.
Tumors of the prostate and intestines. Leek has a very rare substance in its composition - quercetin. This plant flavonoid inhibits the development of various tumors.
Eye problems. If you suffer from poor eyesight, leek will help you. Its composition is replete with elements that have a beneficial effect on visual acuity.

Traditional medicine successfully uses pearl onions for problems with the liver and gallbladder. Also, the plant has a diuretic property and is able to free the body from toxins and toxins.

Leek damage. Leek has no clearly expressed contraindications. But doctors still advise careful use of the plant (especially fresh) in case of serious diseases of the intestines and stomach.

Refrain from eating leeks if you have low blood sugar - onions can lower it even more.

Gastronomic delights. At a young age, you can eat both the lower part of the leek and the upper part of the leek.

Green young leek is good in salads and soups. Vegetable stew, if leek is added to it, becomes fragrant, sweetness and tender sharpness appear in it.

As the plant grows, the upper leaves coarsen and only the lower part of the onion, the false stem, is eaten.

Leek is the most valuable dietary product.

Choosing a variety for our garden

Thanks to the work of breeders, many varieties are represented on the modern market. All types of pearl onions are divided according to the ripening period.

Let's choose leeks, the varieties of which are presented in the best selection in terms of taste.

early ripe

Pearl onions with an early ripening period are considered the most productive among their counterparts.

It will be possible to collect it already 130-150 days after sowing. But be aware that it won't last long.

♦ Goliath. The culture is medium in height (the bleached part of the onion is about 25-30 cm). This beauty can be consumed fresh or dried. But Goliath requires close attention to himself in care - his immune qualities are weakly expressed.

♦ Kilim. Leek of this variety ripens 7-10 days later than other early-ripening species, it is universal in purpose and has a denser and shorter stem (its length barely reaches 20-25 cm).

♦ Vesta. Particularly suitable for growing in the middle region. The white legs are long, can grow up to 50 cm. The taste of this pearl onion is slightly sharp, but Vesta's immune qualities are very well developed.

♦ Columbus. This is the highest culture among early ripening varieties. Long leaves can grow up to 80 cm, and the weight of the leg reaches 400 g. Onions have excellent taste.

mid-season

Vegetables with average ripening rates are not so productive, but they are superior to early-ripening varieties in terms of agrotechnical qualities.

Mid-season species ripen in 150-180 days. The crop is well preserved (it can be saved until March).

These varieties have excellent frost-resistant qualities (withstand cold down to -7 ° C). During colder winters (with an average temperature below -15 ° C), mid-season varieties need shelter.

♦ Casimir. Leek of German selection. Its onion is very weakly expressed and may be completely absent. But the bleached part is of excellent quality, has a length of up to 25 cm and a diameter of about 5 cm.

♦ Camus. The fruit of the labors of Czech breeders. Not very long (only up to 18 cm) bleached part and a slightly pronounced bulb. Sometimes the leaves may take on a purple hue. The variety is able to resist fungal diseases.

♦ Bastion. The "earliest" of the mid-season species (the crop is ready for harvest in 150-160 days). Onion leaves have a blue-green or gray-green color, the bleached part grows up to 30-35 cm.

♦ Tango. The most productive variety of pearl onions. It has high cold hardiness and disease resistance. The length of the bleached part is up to 15 cm, the onion is mild.

late ripening

The slowest varieties of pearl onions (they ripen from 180 days after planting). In terms of yield, they are similar to mid-season species.

Late-ripening varieties are distinguished by tougher leaves and a pronounced sharpness of taste. They can be stored until summer.

♦ Asgeos. Leek of Russian selection. It is excellent for cultivation in the harsh conditions of Siberia. Dark green leaves can grow up to 70 cm. The bulb is weakly expressed, its bleached part barely reaches 20 cm, but the weight of an adult plant can vary within 400 g.

♦ Greywing. This species is distinguished by a plump bleached part. The leaves are rich green with a slight blue. It tolerates winters well (not too harsh) and has a mildly spicy taste.

♦ Elephant. Variety bred by Czech breeders. The plant is able to grow up to 80-90 cm in length and reach a weight of 200 g. The taste of Elefant is specific, quite sharp.

♦ Mercury. Pearl onion with leaves of a rich green color and up to 25 cm long. The mass of the plant is not so large (about 150 g), but with good care it can reach 200 g. This variety is resistant to various viral diseases.

The life of a young bow

Successful cultivation of leeks can be done in two ways:

reckless(straight into the ground). Suitable for the southern regions, where there is a good and long summer. Onions are planted in a seedless way after May 15.
Seedlings. This method allows you to get the most optimal harvest, the seedling method is suitable for any region.

We will consider here the seedling method, as the most common.

Getting healthy and strong leek seedlings at home is a bit of a hassle, but not at all difficult. We need to arm ourselves with soil, a growing container and plastic wrap.

Before telling how to grow leeks, let's decide on the conditions in which young seedlings will be grown.

The timing of sowing seeds depends on this:

The second half of February-March (the seeds are planted in seedling boxes and kept on the window).
Mid-April (sowing is done in a heated greenhouse).
End of April (on prepared beds under the film).

A pearl onion has about 10-12 hours of daylight. Therefore, if you are going to sow it in February, organize additional illumination.

♦ Seed preparation. Before sowing leeks, the seeds must be dipped in hot water for a few seconds at a temperature of about + 45 ° C, then immediately cooled by pouring cold water.

After "bathing" the seeds are placed inside a damp, warm gauze and left to germinate in a warm place (at a temperature of + 25 ° C). After a few days, they will begin to sprout.

Know that leek seeds can be stored for up to 3 years, the main thing is to keep them in a warm, dry place, avoiding sudden changes in humidity and temperature.

♦ Seeding. Sowing leeks is best done in pots filled with moist soil. We arrange the seeds in rows (the distance between the rows should be about 5 cm), the depth of the grooves is 1-1.5 cm.

Seeds are sprinkled on top of the earth and cover the pots with polyethylene. Our boxes should be kept warm (from +23°C to +24°C), in a well-lit place.

When the first timid sprouts appear, the film must be removed and the temperature of the content should be lowered:

During the day from + 15 ° С to + 17 ° С.
At night from +10° С to +12° С.

In this mode, young leek seedlings will spend about a week. Then we slightly increase the temperature of the content: during the day from + 17 ° C to + 21 ° C, at night from + 12 ° C to + 14 ° C. This regime should be maintained until the very end of seedling cultivation.

Compliance with such temperature conditions is very important for the future harvest. Too high a temperature during the growing period of seedlings is fraught with the fact that in the future the leek will form a flower arrow in the first year of development (and not in the second, as expected).

After a month, we need to thin out the leek crops, trying to keep the distance between plants about 2-3 cm in one row. Seedlings dive into small (4 cm in diameter) pots.

But it is best to sow the seeds as infrequently as possible in order to avoid picking. Leek seedlings do not tolerate picking well (in my experience) and are delayed in development for a long time.

For seedlings, it is better to use peat tablets or peat pots. In this case, you do not need a pick.
Crops need to be watered with compost tea. Tea and compost top dressing should be carried out regularly (every two weeks) throughout the entire period of growing seedlings.
The leaves of young seedlings are recommended to be cut periodically (every 2 weeks) so that their length is about 10 cm. Such measures will contribute to a better development of the root system and thickening of the stalk.

Our seedlings will be ready to move into adult living conditions only when they reach three or four true leaves, which will be approximately 15-18 cm long and have a stem diameter of about 0.8 cm.

This usually takes about 8 weeks.

Planting leeks in the garden

The best place to grow leeks will be light loamy areas. When preparing the beds, apply compost to the intended place in the fall (5-6 kg per m²).

In the spring, you can add a little compost or humus to the plots (about 2-3 kg per m²).

No need to dig up the beds!

The best predecessors for leeks: cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and legumes.

Leek is planted on the ridges in the month of May. In front of her, in young seedlings, it is necessary to shorten the roots and leaves by 1/3 of the length.

Vegetable roots can be coated with a mash (a mixture of cow dung and clay in equal quantities). This method will help the plant to quickly and firmly settle in its new place.

Before landing on the selected site, we prepare grooves deep enough, up to 15-16 cm, pour a little ash on their bottom, mix and spill well.

We lay out the seedlings in the prepared grooves one at a time. Then we carefully sprinkle the roots with soil on ½ of the groove and water it, but a little, since the earth is already well spilled.

Thus, our seedlings turn out to be, as it were, in a trench that will protect it from the cold wind.

If the weather is still cool, you can cover the plantings with any covering material.

For pearl onions, it is better to use the following planting patterns:

Double row. Distance between crops 15-20cm, row spacing 30-35cm.
Multi-row. The distance between seedlings is 10-15 cm, and the row spacing is 20-30 cm.

Advice. If you leave more space between the rows, you can plant carrots, onions, beets, cabbage, celery and garden strawberries between leek plantings. These cultures get along well with him.

Competent care is the basis of a rich harvest

To grow strong leeks, care must be taken with special attention and care. After all, the yield, thickness and size of the leaves depend on its quality.

♦ Proper watering. Water is an important basis for the proper development of leeks.

Leek requires abundant and regular watering. Moisture he needs moisture from the moment of planting young seedlings and throughout the entire growing season.

But it’s still not worth watering the onion too actively - observe a reasonable measure.

♦ Loosening. Another important procedure for the good development of the leek. By loosening the soil, we give the plant the necessary oxygen and stimulate the penetration of life-giving moisture to the roots.

Loosen pearl onions should be every week or two. During the event, constantly sprinkle fresh earth to the main stem of the vegetable. Start adding fresh soil after the stem diameter reaches 0.5-0.7 cm.

♦ Hilling. Hilling onion plantings should begin after the leek grows, gradually adding soil to the stems from the walls of our trenches.

Spud your pearl prince every 2 weeks. This will allow the onion to grow a longer stalk with a nice bleached part.

In the future, so that the soil does not get into leaf wraps, earthing can be replaced with high mulching of plantings with dry grass or wrapping the stems with thick paper.

♦ Top dressing. Many gardeners do not feed leeks.

But, if you want to get the maximum yield of the most delicious, juicy, sweet leek, still spend your time on top dressing.

It is worth holding events 2-3 times per season, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers. The first top dressing is usually done three weeks after planting.

Best suited for leek dressing solutions from:

Cow dung (1 part mullein to 8 parts water).
Bird droppings (for 20 parts of water, 1 part of droppings).

♦ Down with the weeds. Of course, it is necessary to destroy the weeds in a timely manner, which strive to settle on the onion beds.

Better refuse to use chemicals in weeding - because we need an environmentally friendly product! So, drive away laziness and regularly free plantings from weeds with your own hands.

Harvesting and storage

So, our bow is ripe. Harvesting is a troublesome, but at the same time, joyful activity.

How can we better manage the wealth we have grown?

First of all, we carefully dig out part of the crop from the soil, trying not to get the earth into the area between the leaves of the plant. We clean it from the ground and partially cut the roots (without damaging the bottom of the bulb).

There is no need to cut the leaves - their pruning will lead to premature drying of the vegetable. This part of the onion crop can be sent for storage.

You can store it in the following ways:

♦ Fresh look. When fresh, leeks are great for keeping healthy in the sand, in the refrigerator or on the balcony.

In sand. Vegetables should be placed there immediately after harvesting. Take a box, pour sand at its bottom with a layer of 5 cm. Onions should be placed there vertically, another 15 cm layer of wet river sand is poured between them. Leek can be stored there for up to six months, provided that the air temperature is around zero degrees.
In a refrigerator. Choose the strongest plants, clean them and trim the roots. Then they should be cooled (without packaging) to a temperature of -2° C to +2° C. After that, you need to quickly pack the chilled onions in perforated plastic bags. Up to 8 leeks can be placed in each bag. Under these conditions, the leek is stored for up to 5 months.
On the balcony. If it is well covered, then it will easily endure slight frosts. And even if it freezes a little, it doesn’t matter, because even when frozen, the leek does not lose its taste.

Plants stored fresh should be checked regularly. Remove all dried or stunted stems immediately, otherwise you risk losing the entire crop.

♦ Freezing. We wash the peeled onions well and dry them. Then cut into slices of 3-4 cm and blanch for 4-5 minutes.

Cool, put in food plastic bags or plastic containers and place in the freezer. We freeze at a temperature of minus 18 degrees.

I have frozen leeks without blanching.

♦ We dry for the winter. Dried leeks are mainly used for seasoning. You can dry it in the oven or electric dryer.

When dried, the leek completely loses its slight bitterness and acquires a sweetish taste. It can be safely added to every meat, vegetable or fish dish, the taste of which will noticeably improve.

We will leave a few plants to winter in the garden. Some of them can be dug up in May for food, and the other part can be left to get their seeds.

Landings can be insulated with dry peat, spruce branches.

Interesting! While the leek sleeps during wintering, the content of vitamins in it not only does not decrease, but, on the contrary, increases.

Now, knowing some secrets of growing leek, I hope that you will boldly take up the cultivation of this interesting, and, most importantly, the most useful vegetable.

Traditionally, I suggest watching a few videos from Yulia Minyaeva on this topic.

See you soon, dear readers!