Growing leeks is becoming increasingly popular among lovers of country life. Today I propose to learn about how to grow leeks and how to care for them from sowing to harvesting.

Leeks, or pearl onions, are an ancient crop widespread throughout the world, but they appeared in Russia only in the last century. Currently, leeks rank third in popularity after garlic and onions.

Growing leeks, of course, begins with seeds, or rather with their preparation. Leek seeds remain viable for 3 years.

The seeds are disinfected (pickled) in the same way as cabbage seeds. To do this, the seeds are placed in water immediately before planting: first in hot water (40-45°C) and then in cold water.

To quickly obtain seedlings, the seeds are germinated. To do this, they are laid out on a cloth moistened with water (20-25°C) and left in a warm place. After 2-3 days, the seeds are slightly dried (to the point of flowability, to make it easier to sow) and sown immediately.

The preparation methods described apply to seeds from your own garden, but if you use purchased seeds, then usually no preparation is needed.

But if you decide to grow leeks through, then you do not need to soak and germinate the seeds.

Growing leek seedlings

In the southern regions, leeks are grown using the seedless method: the seeds are sown directly into the ground after May 15.

• mid-end of February (in seedling boxes on the window)
• mid-April (in a glazed greenhouse) and end of April (under film in the garden bed).

Length daylight hours for leeks it is 10-12 hours. Therefore, when sowing in February, it is necessary to organize additional illumination of the seedlings.

Prepared seeds are sown in small boxes with moistened soil in rows every 5 cm. The depth of the sowing furrow is 1-1.5 cm. The crops are covered with film and placed in a well-lit and warm (+22...+25°C) place. When the first shoots appear, the film is removed, and the temperature in the room is lowered to +15...+17°C during the day and +10...+12°C at night. At this temperature, the seedlings are kept for one week. After which the temperature is brought to +17...+20°C during the day and +10...+14 °C at night and maintained at this level throughout the entire period of growing the seedlings.

Temperature compliance - important condition to get a harvest. Heat during the seedling period, it is dangerous because it contributes to the formation of a flower arrow not in the second year of the plant’s life (as it should be), but in the first.

After a month, the thickened seedlings are thinned out so that the distance between neighboring plants in the row is 2-3 cm. Seedlings are planted in pots with a diameter of 4 cm.

The best results are obtained by growing seedlings in peat pots, since in this case picking is not required.

If conditions permit, the seedlings are watered with compost tea. Such feeding is carried out regularly (every 2 weeks) throughout the entire growing period.

During seedling growth, it is recommended to trim the leek leaves so that their length remains at 8-10 cm. The leaves can be trimmed every two weeks, which will ensure better root growth, as well as thickening of the stem.

Before planting, leek seedlings, like other crops, begin to be gradually hardened off, that is, taken outside so that the plants get used to normal, rather than indoor, conditions.

Leek seedlings develop slowly. When the age of 6-8 weeks is reached, the stem diameter is 0.5-0.8 cm and three leaves appear, the leek seedlings are ready for planting.

Transplanting

Most suitable soils for leeks - light fertile loamy with a neutral environment.

When preparing a site for growing leeks in the fall, you can add about 6 kg of compost per 1 m2 of soil to the bed. In spring, you can add humus or compost to the garden bed (about 3 kg per 1 m2). Just do not dig the bed under any circumstances.

Good predecessors for leeks are potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, legumes and cabbage crops.

Leek seedlings are planted in the garden bed in May.

Immediately before boarding permanent place For seedlings, it is recommended to shorten the leaves and roots by 1/3. Plant roots can be dipped in mash - a mixture of clay and mullein, taken in equal quantities. This technique improves the survival rate of seedlings.

To plant leek seedlings, prepare holes 10-13 cm deep, at the bottom of which manure (necessarily rotted) or compost is placed. Onion seedlings are planted one plant in each hole. The roots are sprinkled with soil, filling the hole halfway and watered.

For leeks, the following planting schemes are used:

• two-row - with a distance between seedlings of 15-20 cm and a row spacing of 30-35 cm;
• multi-row - with a distance between seedlings of 10-15 cm and a row spacing of 20-30 cm.

It is better to grow leeks on, however, this applies to most vegetables. In wider row spacing you can sow, for example, carrots. These two vegetables go well together. Leeks are also friends with strawberries ( garden strawberries), celery, beets and onions.

Leek care

Care includes loosening the soil, hilling, weed control, watering and fertilizing. It is advisable to use it to make your work easier, as well as to provide the plants with more comfortable conditions.

When the plant stems reach the diameter of a pencil, soil is poured into the holes. And then hilling is carried out every two weeks, this allows you to get a longer bleached stem. At least four hillings are carried out per season. It is better to hill up the plants during watering.

Leeks are quite demanding when it comes to watering and soil fertility. Regular and abundant watering and fertilizing are carried out in the first half of the growing season. Good fertilizers are bird droppings and mullein, applied in the form of solutions in a ratio of 1:20 and 1:8, respectively.

The main productive part of the leek is the bleached false stem, also called the “stem.” At proper care the stem reaches up to 50 cm in length and up to 3-4 cm in thickness.

Leeks are a cold-resistant crop. Adult plants can withstand frosts down to -5...-7°C and in areas with mild climates can overwinter under snow cover in open ground. However, cold and rainy summers lead to the formation of a short and thin stem.

Late (winter) varieties of leeks are characterized by high cold and winter hardiness. But due to the long growing season, they do not have time to finish growing. Therefore, it is recommended to grow such varieties in a greenhouse (film or glass). When grown in open ground, plants are transplanted into boxes for growing and transferred to warmth. Transplantation is carried out in the fall before the onset of frost.

That’s probably all I wanted to tell you about growing and caring for leeks. You can also read how to harvest this onion and how to store it here on the website.

Growing leeks is a bit of a painstaking task, but not as difficult as it seems at first glance. You already know how to grow leeks, starting from sowing seeds, and I think you can grow good harvest this bow.

Have a good harvest!

I advise, dear readers, not to miss the publication of new materials on this blog.

Leeks - two years old herbaceous plant. The height ranges from 40 cm to 1 m. In the first year, the crop develops a root system, a false whitish bulb with a diameter of 2-8 cm, which then turns into a false stem. It produces many green or bluish-green leaves. They have a linear-lanceolate shape and are arranged like a fan.

In the second year, a peduncle develops. It reaches a height of up to 2 m. The inflorescences are usually white or pink. They gather in umbrellas. The seeds usually ripen in late summer or early autumn. Germination remains for the next 2 years if stored properly.

Varieties of leeks

Early ripening varieties of leeks include the following:

Variety	Peculiarities	Photo
Goliath	The height is average (the whitish part is approximately 30 cm). The leaves are wide. The bulb is poorly expressed. Requires a lot of attention when caring, as it is not resistant to various diseases and pests
Kilim	The “leg” is up to 25 cm long. The yield is 150 g per plant. Universal application
Vesta	The variety was created by Moscow breeders. Excellent for growing in Siberia and the Urals. The taste is semi-sharp. Main whitish part - up to 0.5 m
Columbus	The plant turns out to be tall due to long leaves - 0.8 m each. The harvest will be 400 g per plant.

U mid-season varieties growing season lasts from 150 to 180 days. Popular varieties include the following:

Variety	Peculiarities	Photo
Kazimir	The homeland is Germany. The bulb is either completely absent or poorly expressed. The height of the whitish part is about 25 cm. They are eaten both fresh and dried.
Kamus	Created by Czech breeders. The whitish part is up to 20 cm high. The foliage sometimes acquires a purple color. Recommended to be consumed fresh
Bastion	The foliage is either blue-green or gray. The height of the whitish “leg” is 30 cm. The harvest weight is about 200 g per plant. The use of such onions is canning, drying and eating fresh.
Tango	The yield per plant is approximately 250 g. It is frost-resistant. Practically not attacked by insects. The variety has a universal purpose
Leek Jolant	The plant reaches a height of 40 cm. The leaves are narrow, dark green with a purple tint. It is resistant to fungal diseases.

Harvest from late ripening varieties possible in 180 days. Popular varieties are:

Variety	Peculiarities	Photo
Asgeos	The variety was bred in the 90s. The leaves are dark green with a pale blue tint; their length is up to 50 cm. The roots are poorly developed. Productivity is about 300 g per plant
Bluewing	The name is related to the color of the leaves. Has frost resistance and a mild pungent taste
Elephant	Created in the Czech Republic. It takes more than 190 days to fully mature. The total length of the plant can reach 85 cm. The taste is very pungent and specific.
Mercury	This bow is resistant to viral diseases. The yield is 150 g. The taste is semi-sharp. The product is used fresh; dry storage is also allowed.

All varieties can be grown both at home and in garden beds.

Landing rules

Growing leeks from seeds is easy. Its growing season lasts from 150 to 200 days, so to speed up ripening, many prefer to grow seedlings first. At home, it is recommended to sow at the end of February or the end of March. If you plant plants in a greenhouse right away, it is best to do this in mid-spring. If you plan to plant seeds under film outside in the garden, then optimal time It will be the end of April.

Landing is carried out as follows:

1. 1. Prepare containers. They should be at least 10 cm deep, since leeks usually have quite long roots. It is best to use separate cups. The pots must be disinfected: for this, a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate is used.
2. 2. Place some small stones on the bottom of the pots for a drainage layer.
3. 3. Fill the containers with loose turf-humus soil; tamp it down and water it room temperature.
4. 4. Keep the seeds in warm, clean water for several hours, and then immediately put them in cold water, and then dry naturally.
5. 5. Sow seeds, spreading them evenly over the soil.
6. 6. Fall asleep planting material fine sand (layer thickness should be 0.5 cm). Spray it with water from a spray bottle.
7. 7. Cover the containers with film.

The pots should be placed in a warm place ( optimal temperature– 23-250 C). The crops need to be ventilated every day, removing moisture from the film and re-spraying the soil with a spray bottle. Do not allow it to dry out completely.

The first shoots should appear 10 days after planting. Then you need to remove the film completely and move the pots with seedlings to a well-lit place. The temperature also needs to be lowered: 200 C during the day and 140 C at night. The roots should be kept warm, so it is recommended to place foam or drywall under the pots. Be sure to ensure that the seedlings are exposed to direct sunlight or a draft. As soon as the seedlings get stronger, they will have to be thinned out. You can water the seedlings only lightly warm water. When the plants grow and get stronger, they need to be fed. It is recommended to mix 20 g of potassium chloride in 10 liters (bucket) of water, ammonium nitrate and 40 g of superphosphate. The resulting solution is enough for 1 sq. m. of crops.

It is recommended to plant two-month-old seedlings in open ground in the middle of May. Before this, the seedlings should be watered generously and, during transplantation, the leaves and roots should be trimmed to a third of their length. Planting should be done on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.

The place for growing leeks should be sunny and open. It is recommended to choose an area where trees and bushes are located further away so that they do not block the light. Leeks can be planted in the area after beans, peas, green manure, tomatoes, and cabbage. But if only onions have been planted in this area for the last 3 years, then leeks cannot be placed here.

The soil must be nutritious, air and water permeable, with a neutral acid-base balance. To prepare it, you need to pay for each square meter 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska, 1 tsp. urea, a bucket of humus or compost. When planting onions, it is necessary to make furrows 10 cm deep; the distance between them is 20 cm. 10 cm should be left between each plant. The roots are sprinkled with soil and watered.

You can also grow leeks for the winter. In the summer you need to dig up the area and add fertilizer. Before the start of winter, the crops need to be mulched with humus and peat, and when snow falls, sprinkle them with it.

How to care for a plant

Caring for leeks is extremely simple. Only the simplest procedures need to be performed:

1. 1. Watering. It is water that is essential for the growth of leeks. But for the first 3 days after planting plants in open ground, they are prohibited from watering; Afterwards, moderate and regular irrigation is recommended. For each square meter, it is enough to use 10-15 liters of water, which should be at room temperature (settled).
2. 2. Weeding. It is necessary to remove weeds and simultaneously loosen the soil so that the roots have access to oxygen. This should be done at least once every 2 weeks. It is necessary to hill up the crop 3-4 times during the growing season. This should be started in mid-summer. After each procedure, it is recommended to mulch the area using dry manure, dry grass or straw.
3. 3. Feeding. For the entire season you will need 3 feedings. 3 weeks after planting the plants in open ground, you need to water the soil with the following solution: 15 g of potassium salt and 20 g of ammonium nitrate are required for 10 liters of water. This is enough for a 4 square meter bed. m. They will also benefit organic fertilizers; Mullein is bred in a ratio of 1:10, and bird droppings - 1:20. Before each hilling, it is recommended to add a cup of wood ash per square meter to the soil.

Prevention of diseases and pests with the help of insecticides (Aktara, Aktellik) and Bordeaux mixture is also important.

Leeks - not very common here vegetable crop, although few vegetables can compete with it in taste and usefulness. Growing leek seedlings has recently gained considerable popularity among summer residents. Many people liked this vegetable taste qualities(delicate aroma, piquant sweet taste) and the ability to easily adapt to different climatic conditions and produce a rich harvest. In cooking, leeks are used both raw and canned, pickled, salted and dried. In addition to its pleasant taste, onions have beneficial medicinal properties.
But most leeks, which are sold at very high prices in supermarkets, are grown abroad. And on personal plots It’s rare to see a patch of leeks. And all because false information is being spread that this culture is very capricious, and that it is difficult to grow on your own. And this is completely untrue.
We fool around no less with ordinary onions, or with the same cucumbers - and do not refuse them. Now we will tell you how and when to sow leeks for seedlings, so that from the beginning of autumn you can feast on its succulent stems.

This is a two-year crop that does not form bulbs, as we are used to, and the false stems that grow in the first year after sowing are valuable. In the second year, the onion produces a peduncle and forms seeds. Is it necessary to grow leeks for seeds in our conditions? Of course not. On sale you can buy the most productive varieties and hybrids that ultimately do not produce the same quality offspring.
Therefore, it is better to purchase your favorite variety and not waste time getting seeds, which is quite a problematic task. Moreover, leek seeds remain viable for 3 or even 4 years. And for those you don’t know the deadline, just soak them.
Leek stems with wide lower leaves are considered a delicacy in European and Asian cuisine. Americans love only the white part most of all, and the diameter should be at least 7 cm. Although, until autumn, the lower leaves are no less tasty than the stem. If you leave onions for the winter, a shoot will form, which is called victorious.
By the way, the inflorescence is very decorative and in Europe leeks are planted for seeds not in the garden, but in flower beds. For the conditions of middle latitudes, the most suitable leek is the Karatntansky variety - see photo, which is the most frost-resistant of all.

The chemical composition of leek includes a large number of protein, vitamins B2, Bj, B, C, PP and minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron). Due to the high content of ascorbic acid, carotene, potassium, and low content of pungent essential oils, this dietary product used to improve metabolism, increase appetite, increase immunity, and also to treat many diseases.
Used for diseases:

• rheumatism;
• stones in the kidneys;
• obesity;
• salt deposits;
• gout;
• atherosclerosis.

How to grow leek seedlings?

Methods for growing onions: without seedling method(direct sowing into the soil) and seedling method. Direct planting of seeds in the ground is mainly used in southern regions with long warm summers. Here the soil warms up faster. For other regions, growing onions with seedlings is more acceptable.

The best place to plant onion seedlings

Onions are grown as seedlings on well-cultivated lowland fertile soils, seasoned organic fertilizers. Slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable. It can also be grown in well-moistened loamy and sandy soils. Unfavorable soils are heavy clay soils. To fertilize the land, superphosphate, potassium salt, compost, and urea are used.

Leeks: planting seeds for seedlings

The growing season of this crop is quite long, so onions must be planted using seedlings. There are some principles to consider when sowing seeds:

• Planting material must be soaked in warm water for approximately 25 minutes. Next, the seeds are left wrapped in a damp cloth for several days. This must be done regardless of the growing method; the procedure speeds up the emergence of seedlings.
• Sowing seeds for seedlings should be done no earlier than the beginning of March.
• The soil for seedlings is prepared in advance. Turf soil with humus or peat is used as a soil mixture.
• The distance between the lines in the container should be no more than 5 cm, and the seed placement depth should be about 1 cm.
• Boxes with seeds must be covered with film to maintain the required level of humidity and heat.
• When seedlings appear, the daytime temperature should be about 18 degrees, the night temperature should be 10 degrees.
• Seedlings need fertilizing, which is carried out twice using mineral fertilizers.
• Regular watering of seedlings is the key to growing strong and healthy seedlings.

Before planting leek seedlings in the garden bed, they need to be hardened off. To do this, a week before the intended planting, the temperature in the room is reduced, and containers with seedlings are taken out into the open air.

Growing onion seedlings from seeds

To grow onion seedlings from seeds, you should preparatory stage. It consists of special seed treatment. The seeds are placed in hot water 45, then cold. For quick germination, seeds are soaked for three days in warm water. After the seeds hatch, they are left to dry.

Caring for leek seedlings

Based on the conditions in which the seeds are grown, the first shoots may appear on the 10th – 20th day.
Leeks are a crop that requires moist soil. Therefore, you should ensure that the soil does not dry out. But at the same time, you should not over-moisturize.
Water the leek seedlings with warm water, carefully so as not to damage the stem. But watering alone is not enough; the seedlings need to be fed. Fertilizer feeding can be done once, but two are better.
To strengthen root system and thickening of the stem, it is necessary to trim the leaves so that their length after trimming is 10 cm.
Immediately before planting the seedlings in the soil, it is necessary to gradually harden them, take them outside, while reducing watering. After six weeks, planting in open ground occurs.

Transplanting

Onion seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of April and until the beginning of May. Seedlings are planted in rows on a pre-prepared and fertilized area, going a little deeper than they were in the seedling boxes. The roots and leaves are slightly trimmed.

Every year, gardeners discover new crops, but even well-known vegetables can become a real discovery. Leeks are a pleasant surprise for fans of healthy eating. It is not often found in areas, most likely due to a lack of information. Unfair information about the plant’s finickiness is widespread, which discourages even trying to grow this wonderful vegetable. It is mainly purchased ready-made, despite the high price of the product. In this article we will get acquainted with this plant and consider in detail the process of growing seedlings at home.

How are leeks different?

Leeks (pearl onions) – perennial. His life cycle from germination to seed ripening is 2 years. In the first season, a rosette of leaves and a false stem are formed - it is for the sake of the bleached “leg” that this variety of onion is grown, it can be eaten at any stage of development.

The leaf blades are flat, reach a length of up to 80 cm, their width is about 6 cm. They are painted in various shades of green and covered with a waxy coating. The lower part has a tubular shape; these tubes close together to form a juicy “leg”. Depending on the variety, the length of the tube is 10-60 cm, the diameter is 2-6 cm.

The root system of the plant is powerful, but does not form the bulbs we are accustomed to. If you leave the rhizomes in the soil after harvesting, they will become good fertilizer for soil.

In the second year of life, the plant produces a peduncle. Gardeners usually do not grow leeks for seeds, because seed material is available for free sale; you can choose the most productive hybrids and varieties. Seeds remain viable for 3 years.

What are the benefits of leeks?

Onion “legs” can be stored for about 6 months, so you will have fresh greens almost all winter.

Leek contains many elements beneficial to the human body: a complex of essential oils and vitamins, mineral salts, fiber, and proteins. Leeks become an ingredient in various dishes and preparations. It is recommended to include it in the diet of people suffering from joint diseases and problematic metabolism. A large amount of essential oils contained in the plant can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, therefore it is not recommended for consumption by people with gastritis and acute ulcerative manifestations.

Growing leeks through seedlings

Leek has a long growing season of 6-7 months. In the conditions of the middle zone, when sowing seeds directly into open ground, you may not wait for the harvest. When to plant leek seedlings is determined by many factors.

Select the sowing time in accordance with the desired harvest date.

Timing for sowing leeks for seedlings

• To harvest in early autumn, sow seeds for seedlings in late February-early March. In this case, by the beginning of April, the seedlings will be ready to be transplanted to grow in a greenhouse.
• Sow at the end of March to plant seedlings in open ground.

You should also focus on the climatic conditions of your region - a large part of success depends on this.

• In northern climates, start sowing seeds for seedlings in April-May, and transplanting into open ground will be possible in June.
• IN middle lane sow leeks for seedlings in February, then transplanting into a greenhouse is possible by mid-April, into open ground - at the end of May.

To guarantee a harvest, you should choose early ripening varieties for sowing seedlings. It is most reliable to purchase seed material at specialized sales points. The packaging indicates the cultivation technology - read it to be sure of your ability to provide the required conditions.

Soil preparation

The soil needs to be nutritious and loose. Mix turf soil, compost, humus, and peat in equal proportions. Can be grown in peat, but add: 250 g per 5 kg of soil dolomite flour, 50 g superphosphate, 30 g urea, 40 g potassium sulfate.

Seedlings do not tolerate intermediate transplantation well, so sow the seeds in separate pots or in spacious boxes; cassette containers with cells are ideal. The depth of the container should be at least 10-12 cm.

Treat the container for planting with a strong solution of potassium permanganate and dry.

Seed preparation

Seeds need pre-treatment:

• Soak for about 30 minutes in a soft pink solution of potassium permanganate at a warm temperature
• Then keep it in cold water for 30 minutes.
• Place in a damp cloth and keep in this state for about a week, the seeds should not hatch
• Dry the seeds until they flow, proceed to sowing

How to plant leek seeds for seedlings

• Fill the container with soil, compact it lightly, and water.
• When sowing in a box, maintain a distance of about 5 cm between the seeds and the rows.
• When sowing in separate containers, place 2-3 seeds in each. The depth of seed placement is no more than 1-1.5 cm.
• Cover the crops with film, place them in a place with diffused bright lighting, and maintain the air temperature between 22-25 °C.
• Ventilate the crops, get rid of condensation, and moisten the soil.
• The first shoots will appear in 10-15 days.
• When sprouts appear, the cover should be removed.
• Maintain the air temperature at 17 °C during the day and 12 °C at night - this must be done throughout the week so that the sprouts do not stretch.
• Then increase the daytime reading to 20°C, and the nighttime reading to 14°C.
• Water as the top layer of soil dries out. Overwatering can cause seedlings to suffer from blackleg. The water should be warm.

Seedling care

It should be fed a couple of times: after 2 weeks of growth and 1 week before the intended transplant into open ground. Water with a weak compost solution (ratio 1 to 10). You can use mineral fertilizers.

In order for the roots to develop well and the stem to thicken, the leaves should be trimmed. Trim every 2 weeks, leaving the leaves 8-10 cm long.

Ventilate the room, but avoid drafts.

A week before transplanting into open ground, begin to harden the seedlings: take them outside during the daytime.

Planting leeks for seedlings in a snail, picking, pruning and planting seedlings in the ground on video:

Large quantities of leeks from seeds if there is very little space on the windowsill? Use the method of sowing seeds in a snail, a very simple and economical way to grow any seedlings, but with the need for picking. For more details on the process of sowing, caring for and planting seedlings, see the video above.

Planting leek seedlings in open ground

• It is advisable to apply organic fertilizers when digging the site in the fall.
• The soil needs to be loose, light, neutral or slightly acidic.
• The lighting is bright, without shadows.
• Desirable predecessors on the site are cucumbers, cabbage, legumes, and potatoes.
• Dig up the area and level it.

• Make furrows 15 cm deep, maintain a distance between rows of about 20 cm. Add wood ash.
• Water the furrows and sprinkle a layer of soil on top.
• Cut the leaves by 1/3, place them in furrows at a distance of 10 cm, carefully sprinkle with soil, and water.
• Mulch the area with humus.

How to care for leeks in open ground

As soon as the stem reaches a diameter of 1 cm, the leek should be hilled - this helps strengthen the root system and further successful development of the valuable “leg”.

Water every 4-6 days. If there is a severe drought, water more frequently. Can be watered cold water. Add about 10 liters of water per 1 m².

Regularly loosen the soil and weed away weeds.

3 weeks after planting, feed with organic matter. Then apply complex mineral fertilizers every 2-3 weeks. Apply mostly nitrogen in the spring, and phosphorus and potassium in the summer.

Sowing leek seeds in open ground

You can immediately go into open ground in the spring, when the soil has warmed up by at least 2 °C - you will receive products for autumn consumption and winter storage.

If you sow the seeds in the summer (including July), before the onset of cold weather, a stem 7 mm - 1.5 cm thick with 4-6 leaves will form. This is only relevant for regions with warm climates. For successful wintering it is necessary to hill up the plants. The harvest will be possible in May-June.

• Pre-treat the seeds as described earlier.
• Sow in rows, keeping a distance of about 10 cm between them. Deepen the seeds by about 1 cm.
• Fragile seedlings will require shading from direct sunlight.

You can sow leeks before winter (in November). Keep a distance of about 20 cm between rows, 10 cm between individual plants. Mulch the plantings with peat. If a snowless winter is expected, additionally cover with spruce branches.

Harvesting

Pre-moisten the soil. Dig up and pull out the onion, holding the stem with both hands. Trim the roots to a length of 1.5-2.5 cm - do not cut them off completely, otherwise the onions will rot during storage. Trim the top, leaving the whitish part of the false stem and the length of the leaves about 10 cm. Store at an air temperature of 0 ° C - this way the onion will successfully last until spring.

Diseases and pests of leeks

Use high-quality seed for sowing, pre-treat it before sowing, follow agricultural planting techniques, provide proper care - then diseases and pests are not scary.

Possible plant diseases:

• Mosaic - leaf plates are covered with yellow spots.
• False powdery mildew– whitish spots with plaque appear on the leaves, the vegetable becomes unfit for consumption.
• Rust - bright yellow spots appear on the leaves, and over time they dry out.

Remove affected plants from the garden immediately. Treat the plantings with a fungicide.

If there are midges in leek seedlings

Onion fly – dangerous pest, capable of causing significant damage to the crop or even destroying it completely. For preventative purposes, pollinate the beds with tobacco and wood ash. You can spill it with tobacco solution (200 g of tobacco dust and 1 tablespoon of liquid soap per 10 liters of water, leave for about 5 hours, strain, proceed to processing).

A good insecticide against onion fly is Lambda-cyhalothrin, waiting period is 30-40 days. Therefore, greens should not be eaten for 40 days after treatment. Treatment is carried out by spraying on the leaves.

Leek varieties

Leek varieties are divided according to ripening time.

1. Early ripening (summer)

Harvest can be done in August.

They have stupa-shaped stems, the leaves are colored light green, they are located at an acute angle to the stem, the leaf rosette is looser.

Winter sowing and seedless cultivation are possible; they are suitable for growing in the Moscow region and any region of Russia. The Bulgarian giant is an example of a summer variety.

2. Mid-season (autumn)

Harvesting occurs in the first ten days of October. In regions with mild climates they are able to winter in open ground.

The stems are cylindrical, thickened. The leaf blades are denser, more powerful, and colored dark green, gray-green. Varieties: Bluewing, Karantansky.

3. Late ripening (winter)

Cold resistance is increased; in regions with warm winters, the harvest can be harvested from October to April.

The “leg” is shorter, thicker at the bottom. Location sheet plates fan-shaped, they are covered with a bluish-green coating.

Growing leek seedlings has recently gained considerable popularity among summer residents. Many people liked this vegetable for its taste (delicate smell, spicy sweet taste) and ability to easily adapt to different climatic conditions and produce a rich harvest. In cooking, leeks are used both raw and canned, pickled, salted and dried. In addition to its pleasant taste, onions have beneficial medicinal properties.

Beneficial features

The chemical composition of leeks includes a large amount of protein, vitamins B2, Bj, B, C, PP and minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron). Due to the high content of ascorbic acid, carotene, potassium, and the low content of hot essential oils, this dietary product is used to improve metabolism, increase appetite, improve immunity, and also to treat many diseases.

Used for diseases:

• rheumatism;
• stones in the kidneys;
• obesity;
• salt deposits;
• gout;
• atherosclerosis.

How to grow leek seedlings?

Methods of growing onions: seedless method (direct sowing in the soil) and seedling method. Direct planting of seeds in the ground is used mainly in southern regions with long warm summers. Here the soil warms up faster. For other regions, growing onions with seedlings is more acceptable.

The best place to plant onion seedlings

Onions are grown as seedlings on well-cultivated lowland fertile soils, seasoned with organic fertilizers. Slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable. It can also be grown in well-moistened loamy and sandy soils. Unfavorable soils are heavy clay soils. To fertilize the land, superphosphate, potassium salt, compost, and urea are used.

Growing onion seedlings from seeds

To grow onion seedlings from seeds, a preparatory stage should be carried out. It consists of special seed treatment. The seeds are placed in hot water 45 for 20 minutes, then in cold water. For quick germination, seeds are soaked for three days in warm water. After the seeds hatch, they are left to dry.

Sowing seeds

Onion seeds are planted at certain times. To grow seedlings, use boxes that can be placed on the window, and it is better to start sowing in mid-February. In greenhouses, sowing occurs in mid-April. And at the end of April, you can sow seeds in the beds, while covering them with film.

In small boxes or other containers of suitable size prepared for planting, specially prepared water is poured into them, but not to the very top. Sowing of seeds is carried out in rows with an interval of 5 cm, and the depth of the furrow should not exceed 1.5 cm. Subsequently, cover with film and place the boxes in a dry and warm place. The room temperature must be maintained around +25. When the first shoots appear, the film must be removed and the temperature maintained at +17 during the day and +12 at night. In this mode, onion seedlings are kept from seeds for about a week. After a week of aging, the seedlings are transferred to another temperature regime– +20 during the day and +14 at night. This regime is followed throughout the entire stage of growing seedlings.

Caring for leek seedlings

Based on the conditions in which the seeds are grown, the first shoots may appear on the 10th – 20th day.

Leeks are a crop that requires moist soil. Therefore, you should ensure that the soil does not dry out. But at the same time, you should not over-moisturize.

Water the leek seedlings with warm water, carefully so as not to damage the stem. But watering alone is not enough; the seedlings need to be fed. Fertilizer feeding can be done once, but two are better.

To strengthen the root system and thicken the stem, it is necessary to trim the leaves so that their length after trimming is 10 cm.

Immediately before planting the seedlings in the soil, it is necessary to gradually harden them, take them outside, while reducing watering. After six weeks, planting in open ground occurs.

Transplanting

Onion seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of April and until the beginning of May. Seedlings are planted in rows on a pre-prepared and fertilized area, going a little deeper than they were in the seedling boxes. The roots and leaves are slightly trimmed.

For good growth leeks and convenient hilling during the growing season, the distance between rows of growing plants should be at least 10 cm, and between rows - at least 50 cm.

Growing technology

The technology for growing onions through seedlings includes two main factors: care and feeding. Caring for young plants is especially important. Do not neglect weeding and loosening the soil. Plants should be watered and fertilized as needed. Water abundantly and feed mainly only during the growing season, in the first half.

Bird droppings are a good fertilizer for onions. It is used in a solution of 1:20.

After the seedlings are well rooted, add fertile soil. Hilling is carried out after two months and repeated as necessary until harvest. Before hilling, it is useful to add wood ash to the rows. It is worthwhile to carry out weed control in a timely manner.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting, depending on the variety, begins in August until the onset of frost. The plant is dug up with a shovel and pulled out of the ground. The roots are removed and the leaves are shortened by 2/3 of the length. Leeks tolerate frost well. If you leave it in the ground for the winter, it will overwinter well and sprout in the spring. For better overwintering, you should cover the plant with soil, cover it with branches, preferably coniferous ones.

You can store leeks in the basement all winter, at a temperature of 0°C, with a humidity of 80%, buried in a vertical position in damp sand.

When stored, leeks not only do not reduce the content of ascorbic acid, but on the contrary increase it even more.

Video: how to plant leeks