Leek cultivation, planting and care in the open field

Leek is widely distributed in our country, because its cultivation in the open field is not difficult. Planting and caring for leeks practically no different from . Today I decided to write a note on how to plant, care for and generally grow leeks, as well as when to harvest and how to store leeks.

Despite the fact that scientists have been actively working to find out about the homeland of the leek, there is still no reliable information about this. There are certain assumptions that it was discovered in the modern Iranian-Iraqi territory. It is only known that people have used it for food since ancient times. For example, it is assumed that this culture was part of the diet of the builders of the Egyptian pyramids.

Photo: Leek
In general, the leek is a herbaceous plant that is part of the onion subfamily. They refer to it as a biennial. Quite often, leeks are confused with onions. Indeed, he is his closest "relative", but still has its own specific differences. If onions are valuable, first of all, by the bulb itself, then its “leek brother” is valuable by its leaves and stem. Because they are the ones that are eaten. But the leek bulb is very small, or completely absent.

The leaves of this culture are powerful, strong, one might say, gigantic. They can rise above the ground by a meter or even a little more. Constantly please with your active growth. The stem of this culture is beautiful, flexible, slender, which is why it is often called the “handsome pearl”.

What they love about this type of Onion is for its excellent rich taste. It is no coincidence that the "pearl" plant is actively used in cooking. Leek is especially loved in various European countries; chefs generously season their dishes with leeks. And, of course, they are very fond of the green "handsome" in Russia - both amateur gardeners, and experienced "gurus" of gardening, and culinary masters, who also use leeks in the preparation of their recognized masterpieces.

A detailed and useful video about growing leeks. Watch to the end!

Useful about Leek

There are many unknown facts about this amazing "biennial":

the leek became the basis for the creation of the national symbol of Wales;
onion honey of rich emerald color, which can be made from a plant, has a truly unique taste and aroma;
if you cook dishes with the addition of this onion correctly, they will have a slight sweetness of a delicate shade and at the same time the necessary sharpness - an excellent taste mix.

But the main thing that distinguishes this “green-white handsome man” is its useful properties. By the way, in these qualities, he surpasses his "relatives", in particular, green onions.

So, leeks are capable of:

help in the treatment of joints, especially in inflammatory processes. This is achieved due to the fact that it contains a high content of sulfur compounds;
improve the condition of anemia. Because it is rich in iron-containing substances;
minimize problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Due, first of all, to the presence of beneficial microorganisms in it, which are able to "build" a healthy flora, "hit" inflammation;
become reliable assistants in lowering cholesterol. Again - thanks to the beneficial substances contained in it;
some relief from lung disease. It is known that leek is a storehouse of essential oils. It is they who can reduce the risks that arise with this disease;
to help with the treatment of the prostate and intestines. It is capable of such a plant due to the quercetin contained in it.

Also, leeks are often used to treat the liver, gallbladder, ophthalmic diseases, influenza conditions.

True, it is important to take into account that with certain diseases, onions can, on the contrary, cause exacerbations. In order to avoid all possible risks, it is best to get qualified advice from a specialist. But in general, this beautiful "pearl" plant has no special contraindications. And, on the contrary, pleases with its healing beneficial properties. These are the benefits and harms of leeks.

Planting leeks in open ground

An amateur gardener who decides to plant leeks in his backyard will not regret his decision. Because he will always have on the table a delicious beautiful plant that can not only give dishes an excellent taste, but also significantly improve the body.

Many, however, are in no hurry to make a decision to plant this particular type of Onion on their site. The reason is that they do not know how and when to plant leeks. It is believed that both the planting process and care will be very laborious. Indeed, to harvest a good crop of leek means to try very hard beforehand. Especially with the fact that you have to deal with seedlings.

But to be afraid of all the details and subtleties of this is not worth it. In order for everything to go smoothly and with minimal effort, you just need to follow certain recommendations:

1. For planting leeks in open ground, choose soil such as loam. This has already been tested by time, so it's better to really do it that way.
2. When in the autumn the beds will be prepared for the next season, it is good to add compost to the place where the leek is supposed to be planted. Enough about 6 kg per 1 sq. m of land.
3. When the long-awaited spring season has come, you need to add compost composition to the beds again or, if one is not at hand, humus. This time you will need about 3 kg per 1 square meter.
4. Attention. The beds should not be dug up. And even more: it is not necessary to do this.
5. By the way, it is better to form a territory for planting leeks where cucumbers, potatoes, and tomatoes used to grow. Or cabbage, beans.
6. If you do not know when to plant leeks, I will answer you, the excellent and most suitable month for planting is May.
7. Immediately before the process itself, the seedlings shorten both the roots and the leaves. It will take about 1/3 to remove.

if the gardener has the time and the necessary tools at hand, it is better for him to smear the roots with the so-called talker - this is a kind of mix of manure and clay (the latter are taken in equal proportions). If you apply this method, the leek harvest will really please the hard-working gardener;
then corresponding grooves are formed in the ground. Note that they should not be small, but deep. This is approximately 16 cm;
when the grooves are formed, ash is poured. It should be a little. After that, thoroughly soak the soil with water;
the next stage is that the leek seedlings are laid out on the previously prepared place - one piece per groove, of course;
and then everything is simple. You just need to cover the roots with earth. Approximately half the groove and exercise again. True, this time it should already be minimal, since there is already water inside the grooves.

What else is important to know about planting leeks? If you know for sure that the weather is still far from warm, it is better to protect the onion seedlings by using ordinary covering material.

More useful information: if you planted a leek in such a way that there is quite a lot of space left in the aisle, you should not leave this “gap”. Because the leek is a very peaceful plant, it means that he loves good neighbors in the form of strawberries, carrots, cabbage, celery and even the most onion "brother". So feel free to plant these crops nearby. And save space, and please the "sociable pearl".

There are additional recommendations on how to plant leeks. In this case, there are two main options. The first recommended planting pattern for leeks is two-row. It differs in that it is necessary to seat the plants so that approximately 20 cm or a little less remains between them. And the width of the row spacing should be somewhere around 33-34 cm.

The second scheme is multi-row. In this case, the distance separating the seedlings is quite a bit - 11-15 cm. As for the width, it should be at least 20 cm and, as a maximum, 30 cm.

Photo: Growing leeks

Growing leeks in open ground

As already mentioned, many gardeners are in no hurry to make a choice in favor of planting this particular crop on their backyard. And the main fears and concerns are just related to the fact that you will have to pre-grow seedlings of leeks, so they are delaying growing leek outdoors.

But if you arm yourself with the advice of experienced gardeners, you can grow an onion in the open field without any problems and time, material, and effort.

First you need to prepare this same soil, as well as find a suitable container where the culture will grow in the future, and ordinary polyethylene, or rather, plastic wrap.

It is important to start all work on planting leek seeds in special seedling boxes in a certain season. For these events, such an annual period as the end of February - the first days of March is best suited. In this case, already in mid-April, it will be possible to sow in a greenhouse, only, of course, insulated. And at the end of this month - in the open ground, under the film.

So, let's start the process of growing leeks in the open field:

the seeds must first be placed literally for a couple of moments in hot water. The recommended temperature regime is plus 40-45 °С. We immediately cool them by placing them now in cold water;
we take ordinary gauze and place the seeds that have bathed in water of different temperatures there. Give them time to hatch and germinate. At the same time, it should be taken into account that future plants placed in gauze cannot be left in a cold room - they prefer a comfortable temperature of +25 ° C. Then we wait a few days. An interesting point: leek seeds can be stored without problems for a 3-year period;
when the required time for growing leeks has come, several days have passed, we take pre-prepared containers - pots, for example. And fill them with soil. Not dry, but hydrated. We sow the material in rows, the distance between which is about 4-5 cm. The grooves can be made to a depth of 1 or a little more than a centimeter;
then, protecting what is planted, we sprinkle everything with a substrate. After that, in order to provide the greatest protection, we put a plastic film on the pots;
we send boxes with future seedlings of leek again to a room with a comfortable temperature - somewhere + 23 ° C. And always appropriately lit.

As soon as you see that the first "swallows" are ready to become the next crop and boldly strive upwards, just remove the film so that it does not interfere with such impulses of plants. And here's what's important: now you need to change the temperature regime. That is, lower it. In the daytime, the optimum temperature will be +15 ° С, at night - +12 ° С.

We are waiting again. Now it's been a little longer - about a week. And again we intervene, becoming again a temperature regulator. Only now, on the contrary, it will be necessary to increase the indicators: during the day they should be approximately + 20 ° С, and at night - somewhere + 13 ° С.

By the way, after that, you will no longer have to adjust the temperature. This level must be maintained until the very end of the process of growing leeks.

Many do not pay special attention to issues related to the temperature regime, considering this factor not so significant. This is a serious gardening mistake. Illiterate adjustments or their absence at all can lead to undesirable consequences.

When the cultivation of leeks lasts 30 days, the moment comes that requires thinning measures. At the same time, young crops are processed as follows: between them there should be a space equal to 2 cm or, as a maximum, 3 cm - this is, of course, in one row. After that, another, equally important process is carried out - the leek is dived. "Kids" dive into small pots, their diameter can be 3 or 4 cm.

Leek care in the open field

Caring for young shoots is also not so easy. But if you again resort to the right rules, everything will work out successfully.

One of the foundations of competent effective leek care is watering. It must be correct and timely. One should not think that providing onions with water - an unpretentious, at first glance, plant - is an insignificant event. So, we water properly. To do this, we always adhere to this principle: we water often and generously. Yes, leeks are water loving. And this should be remembered by those who expect a rich harvest from seedlings.

The second significant moment in the care of leeks is the process of loosening. Approximately the same principle is observed here: due attention should be paid to loosening measures, everything should be done on time. We loosen with such a frequency: once every seven days or at least once every two weeks. The correct approach in this case will provide the main thing - such a necessary supply of oxygen and moisture to the plant.

The third factor that contributes well to growth is, undoubtedly, hilling. These processes are carried out when it is already obvious that the leek has “pulled itself up”, is actively growing. Then you just need to carefully and regularly spud - about once every half a month. Gradually, however, a little later than hilling, mulching processes are also introduced. This is done using ordinary dry grass. Or - paper with a high density, which is easy to wrap the stems.

Also, we must not forget about such an important event as top dressing. By the way, many gardeners completely refuse this procedure. And, of course, to the detriment of yourself and the future harvest. Leek care in the open field is an important agricultural technique and the need to feed the leek should not be ignored. And then the onion will thank you with a truly excellent taste, which is inherent in it. As for the frequency of these procedures, it is worth noting that it is better not to carry them out so often. Approximately 2 or 3 times during one season. Not much, so be sure to follow this rule. And here's another thing that is important: fertilizers need to be alternated: organic and mineral fertilizers should be applied alternately. - a true "lover" of cow and bird droppings. The first should be prepared as follows: 8 parts of water and 1 part of fertilizer. Second: 20 parts of water and also 1 part of the litter itself.

Perhaps someone will consider the following advice banal, and yet it is worth voicing it. This is the need for timely weeding. This, too, can be ignored, many amateur gardeners believe. And, unfortunately, they end up with a meager “leek table”.

When to harvest leeks

The most enjoyable part of this whole process is, of course, the harvesting of the leeks, especially if the leek harvest is very successful. Someone believes that there are no special tricks in this matter and he knows how and when to clean leeks. But you still need to adhere to certain standards for harvesting.

When the leek crop is harvested, it is better to carry out all procedures carefully and carefully. Haste is fraught, for example, with the fact that the earth can calmly “penetrate” between the leaves.

The second point in the process of harvesting leeks is that it is better to immediately clean the collected from the ground. The third is to shorten the roots a little. Pruning should be done so as not to damage the bulbs.

But with leaves, everything is much simpler. You don't need to cut them. If you do this, the leek will dry out quickly. Now we proceed to another important event - the storage of leeks.

How to store leeks

Perhaps many people think that onion storage is limited to one or two ways. However, this is not the case with leeks. It provides a real wealth of choice in this regard. And, I will tell you how to store leeks.

Leek storage carried out in several ways:

1. The simplest is to store leeks in their normal state, that is, fresh. So it will retain its properties and useful qualities for a long time. To do this, you can put the onion, for example, in the refrigerator. It is only necessary to remember the following in a mandatory manner: you must not leave the collected onion stocks without proper supervision. It often happens that the hostess, who placed the green crop in the refrigerator, simply forgets about it because of a lot of trouble. And when she suddenly decides to surprise guests or loved ones with a delicious onion stored in a cold place, she gets a far from disappointing result. Many stems withered or even began to become unusable. The point, of course, is that this hostess should have checked stocks periodically. And sort out withering, perishing plants. If you do not carry out this simple, but such a necessary work, as a result, healthy leaves become infected from those that are no longer suitable for consumption. It is better to remember this well and always carry out some kind of inventory of the products stored in the refrigerator.

2. An interesting method of storing leeks is the so-called sand. The onion is placed in the sand immediately after the crop has been produced. The most suitable container for this is a simple box into which sand is poured. Its layer should be approximately 6 cm. Do not forget that the onion should be stored vertically in this case. It is important to take care of the appropriate temperature. Well, if you can maintain the mode at 0 ° C. If all conditions are met, the onion will calmly stay in sand granules, with the preservation of all its properties, for about six months.

3. Freezing leeks is one option for storing leeks in the winter. In order to properly carry out "leek freezing", you must first resort to the following procedures. Leek is cleaned very carefully, just as well washed and dried. Next, you need to cut it - in ordinary pieces - and blanch it. Blanching for a long time is not worth it - only about 4 minutes. Then the mass is cooled and placed in ordinary bags. 4. You can also use food containers for more convenience. The harvest, laid in an appropriate way, is sent to the refrigerator, or rather, to the freezer. It is important. The recommended temperature regime is 17-18 degrees with a minus sign. By the way, if all this seems too time-consuming, you can freeze leeks without resorting to blanching.

4. Such storage of leeks as drying for the winter is often popular. What is dried onion for? Of course, as an excellent seasoning. The second question is: where to dry the leeks? The answer is just as simple. It could be a conventional oven. True, there is one important nuance here. If the oven temperature is too high, there is a risk that the onion will lose most of its useful properties as a result. To prevent this, dry the onion in an oven heated to no more than +50 ° C. For those who do not have time for all these procedures, we can recommend using the quick drying method. To do this, preheat the oven already to +150 ° C and keep the leek there for about 18-20 minutes. The hostesses who use the drying method especially like the fact that in the resulting form the onion no longer has its own specific bitterness, which, perhaps, is not to everyone's taste. And it gives a very pleasant soft-sweet taste. With this seasoning, any dishes prepared from meat or vegetables acquire a unique piquant taste.
Also, without much hassle, you can store the onion on the balcony. It will endure mild frosts. And even in this case, it will please you with a pleasant taste. Moreover, in a slightly frozen form, leeks do not lose their taste. So the balcony is a suitable place for storage. Here you need to return to such a method as storage in the refrigerator. There are important details here that have not yet been mentioned ..

In order to properly preserve the leek crop in the refrigerator, it is best to select large and strong "representatives" of the leek. Then you need to thoroughly clean them and be sure to shorten the lower part - that is, cut the roots. Further, without resorting to packaging, we cool them. The temperature in this case should be approximately the following: 1-2 ° C with a minus sign, or, as an upper limit, + 2 ° C. As soon as everything is sufficiently in the desired state, the onions are quickly packed. For this process, not just plastic bags are suitable - they must be perforated. It is optimal if 7-9 stems are laid in one package. If everything is done correctly, the bow will remain in this state for almost six months without any problems.

There are some more useful tips that are no longer related to the process of storing leeks, but are also very important. It is not necessary to remove the crop from the beds in full. It is good to leave a couple of plants for the winter. Then in the spring you will get the opportunity to taste the first harvest without the hassle and problems. Also, stock up on your own seeds for the future.

If these tips for overwintering leek are to your liking, be sure to do the following at the appropriate time. Be sure to provide the plants with warmth before winter - with the help of covering material. It can be peat, only in dry form, as well as tree branches - ordinary spruce branches. Plants that are properly covered for the cold period will “answer” you in May money with young green shoots.

Attention: a fact that is important for lovers of not only the taste of leek, but also its healing qualities. Wintering is an excellent time for the accumulation of vitamins in leeks. Many believe that in winter, leeks "give" their "advantages" at the mercy of this cold season. It turns out it's the other way around. He does not lose what is useful, but generates and increases. It is no coincidence that he is so loved by fighters for a healthy lifestyle, which is based on the regular use of large amounts of greens.

I completely forgot to mention such an important point as lighting. And during the period of sowing, spitting of seeds, and in the process of growing leek seedlings, and, of course, at the stage of care, the plant must definitely create the best light conditions. Since the leek loves, as already noted, not only the abundance of water, but also the abundance of light. It is important to take care in advance that the seedlings have the opportunity to grow in a well-lit space. And the beds where they will be planted were also in the most illuminated area.

All the recommendations given in my note are the basis of a decent future leek harvest. Of course, every gardener has his own secrets of growing his favorite plants. And many are accustomed, given their experience, to ignore the wishes of other seasoned professionals. Of course, this approach is fraught with corresponding consequences. So the best option is to follow the basic rules given by gardening gurus and back them up with your own judgments about how best to plant leeks, care for leeks, and grow a good crop of leeks. When following such an essentially simple strategy, you will get the main thing - the joy of being able to grow delicious healthy leeks on your own.

If my note is about growing leek outdoors, as well as landing, care and storage was useful to you, leave comments and share the article on social networks. All the best harvests of leeks.