Leek: description, planting, cultivation and care in the open field with a photo

Leek is a vegetable crop that does not require special care and is therefore popular with many vegetable growers. Most often, this plant is grown for further use in the preparation of various dishes. It is also often grown for freezing and canning.

Before you start growing such a vegetable, you need to familiarize yourself with the main features of the leek and the nuances of planting it.

Benefits of leeks

Before you plant a leek, you should study in more detail the beneficial properties of the plant, thanks to which it is so popular among vegetable growers.

To understand the properties and contraindications, you need to know the composition of the plant. It contains a small amount of calories, due to which the vegetable is added to the diet during the diet. Bulbs also contain many nutrients and other nutrients that the human body needs. In addition, the bulbs have a high content of vitamin B, K, C, A.

The upper leaves of the plant contain a fibrous structure that promotes the spread and development of bacteria in the intestines that reduce bloating. Therefore, doctors recommend eating pearl onions to people with impaired digestive system performance. It is also eaten with high blood pressure. Due to the potassium contained in the plant, regular consumption of fresh bulbs normalizes blood pressure.

The vegetable has no serious contraindications. However, doctors still do not advise people with serious diseases of the duodenum to eat it often.

Best varieties

Before planting, it is best to familiarize yourself with the main varieties of leeks, as each of them has its own characteristics.

Early

Bulbs, belonging to the early ripening types of vegetables, fully ripen by the end of summer. If we talk about the full cycle of fruit ripening, then it lasts 120-150 days. Among the early varieties of onions, several of the best varieties are distinguished:

Vesta. The most fertile early ripe variety that grows up to one and a half meters. It has excellent taste and shelf life.
Columbus. It is considered the most juicy variety that grows up to 60-70 cm. Columbus is often added to fresh vegetable salads, as it has a light aroma and delicate taste.
Goliath. The lowest early ripe variety, the height of which does not exceed 40 cm.

Mid-ripening

Mid-ripening pearl onions ripen closer to the end of autumn. Such varieties are planted less often than early ripe ones, as they have a lower yield. Popular mid-season bulb types include:

Camus. A small variety with curved green leaves, the surface of which is covered with a layer of wax. Mature plants grow up to 15-20 cm.
Casimir. The most popular mid-season onion, which is resistant to insects and diseases. When grown under optimal conditions, Casimir bushes grow up to 20-25 cm.
Jolant. This variety is considered the most productive among mid-season types of onions. Jolanth is distinguished by narrow leaves and bushes about 35 cm high.

Terms and rules of boarding

Before growing leeks in the open field, you need to familiarize yourself with the timing of planting this plant. It is recommended to engage in seedless cultivation of the plant in the first half of May. The end or middle of February goes well with the seedling method.

Soil preparation

Before planting a particular variety of leek, a suitable site is selected and prepared for planting. This vegetable grows well in well-lit areas away from tall bushes or trees that can shade the seedlings.

Before you start planting in the open field, the ground on the site is prepared. This is done not in the spring, but in the autumn, before the onset of the first frost. First, the entire area is dug up with a shovel or pitchfork, and then 50 grams of urea with Nitrofoska are added to the soil. The next stage of preparation begins in the spring. In this case, each square meter of the garden is fed with 2-3 kg of humus mixed with compost.

Seedless way

Many don't know what to do if the seedlings died before planting in open ground. In this case, you will have to deal with sowing and growing leeks from seeds. To do this, all harvested leek seeds are planted in pre-prepared soil. On the site, 2-3 rows are made at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. On each row, shallow holes are made into which onion heads are planted. When all the seed is planted, the rows are carefully watered with water at room temperature.

Seedling method

Often the planting of leeks is carried out by seedlings. To use this method, you will have to prepare the seed in advance. To do this, all seeds are treated with aloe juice or growth stimulants. It is also recommended to soak all seeds for 20-30 minutes in heated water with manganese for disinfection.

Sown prepared seed not earlier than March 20, so that by the end of May the grown seedlings can be transplanted into open ground. Young seedlings are grown in small pots or cups 5-7 cm in size.

The grown seedlings are transplanted when the seedlings grow up to 10 cm in height. Planting germinated seedlings is no different from planting seedless seedlings.

Features of care

Leek care is mandatory, as the yield of the planted plant depends on it.

Irrigation

To figure out how to grow leeks, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of watering this vegetable. It is recommended to moisten the soil at least once a week. At the same time, 5-7 liters of liquid are consumed per square meter of the garden.In drought conditions, the number of waterings increases to three times a week, since the earth dries out faster in such weather. During the ripening period of the bulbs, watering is reduced.

Feeding

During the care of leeks, the area must be fertilized. The first dressing is applied to the soil before planting, in mid-autumn. During this period, mineral top dressings with a small amount of organic matter are added to the ground. If after planting the growth of leaves is slow, re-feeding is carried out. In this case, mullein and urea mixed with 10 liters of water are added to the ground. Three liters of mixture are consumed per square meter of onion plot.

Growing problems

When growing and caring for leeks, certain difficulties arise. Often, leeks do not grow well and you have to think about how to feed them to improve the growth of planted seedlings. To do this, organic fertilizers are added to the soil in the form of compost with rotted humus.

The second common problem is weeds. To get rid of them, you will have to figure out how to properly loosen and weed the ground. It is necessary to engage in hilling the soil regularly. Experienced vegetable growers do this 2-3 times a month so that weeds do not have time to grow.

Methods of storage

Not everyone knows how to store grown leeks in the country. There are three common methods for storing harvested crops:

Frozen. This method is popular among vegetable growers, as a thawed vegetable does not lose its taste. To freeze the onions, it is enough to peel them, cut into several pieces and place in the freezer.
In the cellar. The most suitable place to store leeks is the cellar. This room will protect the bulbs from frost and decay.
In the apartment. In residential premises, onion heads are stored much less frequently, since the conditions in them are not always suitable for storing crops. To keep the collected onions in the apartment, you need to monitor the air temperature.

Popular recipes

It's no secret that onions are often used in cooking and therefore you should familiarize yourself with the main dishes that are prepared from them:

Onion pancakes. To prepare this popular dish, two large onions are rubbed on a fine grater and s alted. Then the juice is squeezed out of the grated onion heads. After that, everything is covered with flaxseeds with semolina. The result is a thick mixture that is fried in a pan. Pancakes are fried very gently over low heat.
Onion with bacon.To prepare this dish, the head of the leek is cut off, and the leaves are cut into strips 1 cm wide. Then 100 grams of bacon is taken, which is sprinkled with s alt to taste. Then water is boiled in a small saucepan and onion heads are added to it, which are boiled for 5-10 minutes. After that, grated apple is mixed with carrots, prunes and sour cream in a separate bowl. The resulting mixture is added to a mold with bacon and onions, after which it is placed in the oven. The dish is baked for 20 minutes at a temperature of 120-140 degrees.

Conclusion

Almost every gardener is engaged in growing leeks. To grow this vegetable, you will have to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of planting it in open ground and caring for the planted bushes.