Leek is also called pearl onion. This variety attracts with its special taste and beneficial properties. It is not difficult to grow a culture if you create all the necessary conditions for this, including competent planting care.
Leeks are also called pearl onions
Use a flexible onion stalk for food.
Leek has no onion
Variety Characteristics
Leek is a two year old plant. In the first year, the stem with leaves develops, and in the second - flowering with the formation of an arrow. Its height can reach one and a half meters. When the arrow is formed, the stem becomes unsuitable for use in food, therefore, leeks are usually cultivated as an annual crop on vegetable gardens.
Leek was widespread only a few decades ago, although it was known in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece. The Romans considered it the food of the rich.
There are several varieties of leeks. All of them can be divided into three groups depending on the length of the growing season. Early varieties ripen in about 130-150 days, medium varieties in 150-170 days, late varieties in 180-200 days. It turns out that the ripening of the culture can take six months or more.
A distinctive feature of leeks is the absence of a bulb - instead of it there is a white leg, for the color of which the culture began to be called pearl onion. This leg is a thickened false stalk. A flexible plant stem with long leaves is used for food.
The characteristics of leeks depend on the particular variety:
- leg height - 12-45 cm, diameter - 3-8 cm;
- leaves resemble garlic, but longer and wider;
- the leaves have a dark green color and a light waxy coating;
- the average height of the leaves is 90 cm, can reach a meter or more;
- the average weight of the plant is 0.2-0.3 kg;
- at least 12 leaves are formed in the first year;
- flowering occurs in July-September, seed collection begins in mid-October - their germination lasts up to 3 years;
- the legs of young leaves have a pleasant, slightly sharp taste, which is thinner than that of the onion-related crop.
The attractiveness of growing leeks lies not only in its taste, but also in its beneficial properties. It is useful to eat it for joint pathologies, anemia, high cholesterol, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary pathologies. Leek also helps with low vision, tumors of the intestines and prostate.
Optimum conditions for cultivation, soil requirements
When growing leeks, it is necessary to take into account the climatic features of the region. In northern latitudes, one should limit oneself to early varieties of culture, and in the south, late varieties of plants can also be grown.
At the initial stage of development, leeks need a long daylight and intense lighting, so you need to choose well-lit areas for planting where the sun is there all day.
It is important to remember crop rotation rules. Leek is well planted after pumpkin, legumes, winter crops, potatoes or other nightshade. Between onion plantings, including leeks, at least 3 years should pass in one section.
For seed germination, a temperature of 2-5 degrees is necessary. The speed of the process depends on the temperature, at a temperature of 20 degrees, it increases significantly. Foliage grows well and develops at 15-20 degrees.
Leek prefers neutral soil. If it is acidic, then resort to lime or dolomite. Make the selected substance in the fall. If the soil is alkaline, the addition of peat is required.
For leeks, chernozem, light sandy loamy or loamy soil is best suited. It should be fertile enough. To increase this characteristic, you can use compost or rotted manure. Per square meter, 7 kg of such organic matter is required. You can make manure in the spring, then its quantity per square meter should be reduced to 2-3 kg.
In the spring, in addition to manure, other fertilizers must be added. Per square meter requires:
- ammonium nitrate - 15 g;
- potassium salt - 15 g;
- superphosphate - 35 g.
Planting leeks
Leek can be planted in open ground with seeds or seedlings. The second method is usually chosen, although it is more laborious.
Seeds
This option is suitable only for the southern regions, since the growing season of the culture is very long. Planting leek seeds should be when the threat of frost has passed, since they are fatal for seedlings.
The optimal planting period for the southern regions is March-April. It should take into account the weather conditions of a particular area, as well as the features of the selected variety. If you use a greenhouse or a greenhouse, then planting should begin in mid-April. When landing on a bed under the film, it is better to wait until the end of the month.
Planting leek seeds implies the following:
- Preparing planting material. It is necessary to lower the seeds for several seconds in water heated to 45 degrees, and then immediately into cold water. After planting material must be kept in wet gauze for several days, periodically moistening it. The place to choose is warm - the temperature should be kept at 25 degrees. After a few days, the seeds should germinate.
- Soil preparation. If all work is carried out properly in the fall, then it remains to loosen the prepared area and level it.
- Groove formation. 65 cm should be left between rows. Sowing depth should be oriented to soil characteristics: seeds should be buried in light soil by 2.5 cm, into heavier soil by 1.5 cm. 1 g of seeds should be sown per square meter.
- Thin out the beds. Thinning is carried out in two stages - first with the appearance of 1-2 leaves, then with 3-4 leaves. After the second thinning, 10-15 cm should remain between adjacent plants.
You can grow leek seeds in open ground as a two-year crop. In this case, landing is carried out at the end of June. In October, hilling of plants and shelter for the winter is necessary. Another option is planting a crop in October. This allows you to get seedlings in the spring. Both options are suitable only for the southern regions.
Seedlings
This method should be used for regions of the middle lane. It is suitable for the south, if you want to get the crop as early as possible. When grown in open ground, seeds are planted on seedlings from mid-February. The process is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Preparing planting material. Seeds are dipped for several seconds in hot water (up to 45 degrees), then in cold. After leaving in a moist gauze and a warm place for germination. The temperature should be 25 degrees, the material should be periodically moistened.
- Preparing containers for seedlings. You can use pots, boxes, containers, cassettes. Fill the selected containers with soil - you can make a mixture yourself or buy ready-made soil suitable for this crop. In the first case, you need to take sod, compost soil and humus. A peat base can also be used, in which additives should be added - dolomite flour, potassium sulfate, double superphosphate, urea.
- Seed groove formation. Between them there should be a distance of 4-5 cm. The seeds need to be deepened by 1-1.5 cm.
- Sowing seeds. The soil in prepared containers must be moist. Sprinkle the seeds with earth.
- Seed germination. Until sprouts appear, containers with planted seeds should be kept under the film. Be sure to adhere to a temperature regime of 23-24 degrees. The place where the containers are located should be well lit.
- Temperature reduction. This should be done after the appearance of the first sprouts. First you need to get rid of the film - shelter seedlings are no longer required. The optimum temperature regime during the day is 15-17 degrees, at night - 10-12 degrees. You need to adhere to such indicators within a week.
- Temperature rise. Daytime temperature should be 17-21 degrees, nighttime - 12-14 degrees. Adhere to new values before planting seedlings in the ground.
- Thinning. Work must be carried out one month after planting. Between adjacent plants should remain 2-3 cm.
- Pick. At this stage, seedlings are transplanted into pots or glasses. The diameter of the containers should be no more than 4 cm. This step is optional. Some gardeners exclude it, causing a poor transfer transfer and a slowdown in development against this background. A pick is not needed when planting seeds in peat tablets or pots.
- Leaf shortening. Usually this stage is combined with a pick. The length must be shortened by a third. Opinions on the need for shortening leaves differ. Some experts believe that such a measure is needed only for damage to the roots and summer planting. In the second case, the leaves are shortened to reduce the area of evaporation of moisture.
Leek seedlings should be fed once every 2 weeks. Use compost tea effectively. Culture needs daylight hours of 10-12 hours, so additional lighting should be used for seedlings.
A total of approximately 1.5 months is spent on growing leek seedlings. About the readiness of disembarkation into the ground is judged by the appearance of 3-4 real leaves. The diameter of the stem by this time should reach 0.8 cm, and the length of the leaves - 15-17 cm.
A plot for planting leek seedlings should be prepared in the fall. Digging is not required in the spring, it is enough to loosen the soil and level the beds. It is necessary to act according to the following algorithm:
- Make grooves-grooves, deepening by 15 cm.
- Sprinkle the bottom with ash, then pour plenty of water.
- Trim the roots a third of the length and treat with a mixture of clay and cow manure - mix them equally.
- Place seedlings in prepared furrows and sprinkle. It is only half necessary to fill the grooves with the earth - the resulting trench will provide good protection from the wind.
- Water the bed. The grooves were already watered, so do not use a lot of liquid.
- Make shelter. It is required if the weather is still cool. You can use any covering material.
There are two options for planting leek seedlings - two-row and multi-row. In the first case, between the seedlings it is necessary to leave 15-20 cm, and between the rows - 30-35 cm. For multi-row planting between adjacent plants leave 10-15 cm, and between the rows - 25 cm.
The distance between the rows can be increased to plant another crop. This can be onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, celery, garden strawberries - such a neighborhood is permissible.
The growing season for leeks is long, so after planting in the ground until the stalks are enlarged in diameter, 2-3 months pass.
Outdoor Care
The success of crop cultivation, that is, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the crop, largely depends on proper care. It must be comprehensive.
Watering
Leek needs regular watering. Water the crop should be plentiful, but not excessive. Use warm water. After transplanting into open ground, watering is not carried out for the first 3 days, then it should be carried out every 5 days.
In a hot dry period, the frequency of irrigation should be increased. An average of 12 liters of water is required per square meter of landings.
Top dressing
Top dressing is not a prerequisite for growing leeks, but for a rich harvest, you should not ignore it. In addition to spring soil preparation, fertilizers are applied another 2-3 times per season. They resort to organic and mineral dressings, which are effectively alternated.
The first top dressing is carried out 3 weeks after planting in open ground. Effectively use cow dung or bird droppings. In the first case, you need to take 8 parts of water for one part of the fertilizer, in the second - 20 parts.
Weeding and cultivation
It is necessary to get rid of weed grass. This should be done manually, because chemical methods of weed control are not useful and affect the environmental cleanliness of the product.
Loosening is important for the development of crops, as it provides aeration of the soil. The plant receives enough oxygen and moisture. Loosening should be carried out once every 1-2 weeks. Do it better after watering.
In addition to loosening, hilling is also required. When transplanting seedlings into the ground, half of the trenches did not fall asleep with the ground, so gradually you need to fill them. Such work should be carried out when the culture grows.
Pest and Disease Control
When growing leeks, like any other crop, it is important to regularly inspect plantings for diseases and pests. The following problems are possible:
- Onion fly. The main pest that appears from mid-May. The fly lays eggs on leaves and in the soil, and the larvae emerging from them eat the central part of the plant, causing it to wilt and rot. Against the pest, insecticides or tobacco dust with black pepper and ash are used. A folk remedy is used for dusting or preparing a solution for spraying.
- Downy mildew. The disease is fungal and is also called peronosporosis. Oval spots appear on the leaves, which quickly grow. Fungicides need to be fought with the disease.
- Mosaic. The disease is viral, it carries aphids. Yellow longitudinal spots appear on the leaves, the growth of the culture slows down. Affected plants must be removed and burned.
- Rust. Fungal disease. On the leaves you can see bright yellow spores resembling pads. Gradually, they begin to darken and then blacken, the leaves of the plant dry out. To combat the disease, fungicides are used, more often Fitosporin.
Harvesting and storage
Harvest leeks should be done in stages. The first stage falls on the first half of September. It is not necessary to clean all the plants, but selective ones, in order to provide more space to the rest of the plantings. Final cleaning can also be done in frosts - an adult plant is not afraid of them.
If long-term storage of the crop is planned, then dig the onions carefully to prevent damage. After digging, you need to remove the earth and partially cut the roots - you can not touch the bottom of the bulb.
You can store crops in many ways. If you want to keep fresh plants, then the options are as follows:
- Refrigerator. For this storage method, only strong specimens are suitable. They need to be cleaned, pruned roots and cooled at zero temperature. Then immediately place the leek in the perforated cellophane bags and put in the refrigerator. Culture in this way is stored up to 5 months.
- River sand. In this case, it is necessary to remove the culture for storage immediately after harvesting. You should fill the bottom of the box with sand with a layer of at least 5 cm. Place the leek vertically, pouring it with wet sand - the layer should be 15 cm. At zero temperature, the culture can be stored in the sand for up to six months.
When storing the crop fresh, you need to periodically inspect it to get rid of spoiled copies. Without such a measure, shelf life is significantly reduced, and losses are increased.
There are other options for storing leeks - drying and freezing. In both cases, the plants must be thoroughly washed, dried on a wire rack and cut into thin circles. Dried onions should be placed in closed jars. For freezing, prepared raw materials must be removed in tight bags or containers; for cooking, it does not need to be defrosted.
Leek can be grown in any region, if you choose the right method of planting.The quality and quantity of the crop depends on the observance of crop care rules - all of them are quite simple and standard.