Leeks!

FlipTX · October 16, 2007

This is my first time growing leeks from seed. I've grown bunching onions from seed and I've grown leeks from the chopped-off root end of store-bought leeks, but this will be a new experience.

Anyone have any tips? Any special leek-growing dance I should do?

Earl · October 16, 2007

They take a looooooooooong time to mature from seed, at least for me they do. I start them mid-winter, then transplant singles into cell packs. When I plant I use a bulb planter and dig a hole about 6 inches deep, drop in the plant, then flick enough dirt to cover roots about and inch or two. Then I mulch. The top part of the hole will fill-in as time passes and the leek grows, giving you the white stem.

FlipTX · October 16, 2007

What leek did you grow from seed, Earl? I started Kilima which is supposed to be an "early" leek (I think a summer/fall leek, but I figure our winters are pretty mild) but I also have a couple heirloom leeks I want to start soon.

DeanRIowa · October 16, 2007

"I've grown bunching onions from seed and I've grown leeks from the chopped-off root end of store-bought leeks"

How well did the leeks grow?

I wonder, if I could do the same with Scallions/green onions?

Dean

FlipTX · October 17, 2007

Quote:

How well did the leeks grow?

Very well.

I bought some leeks just before last Thanksgiving and planted about 1" inch pieces of the root end 3 or 4 inches deep in the ground. I hilled them a bit when they got about 8 inches above the soil. By Christmas, I had slender but very useable leeks. If I'd waited till spring they probably would have been thicker.

Quote:

I wonder, if I could do the same with Scallions/green onions?

I do this all the time. Every time I pick some onions from the garden, I return the bottom inch or so to the soil.

DeanRIowa · October 17, 2007

Good idea, I would never have thought of that.

Thanks,

Dean

johno · October 17, 2007

I forget the variety, but I sowed some leek seeds (from Baker Creek) last fall and they are "eatin' size" now.

Ruth_10 · October 22, 2007

From seed--what Earl said. Start them in a trench and fill in as the leeks grow. The variety I've grown in Large American Flag. I started the seed indoors the first week in February. I had one plant from the 2004 season that I didn't harvest and it survived the winter and started growing again. I let it flower, left it in over the winter of 2005, then moved it over by the compost pile in 2006, left it over the winter, and it came back strong again this year. Any plant with that kind of survival instinct deserves to live.

Leeks are hardy, slow to grow, can take the cold, and should have good soil and not too much competition from weeds. If you've got clay like I do, amend your planting trench with something with some give (some compost or loamy soil) so the growing leeks don't knock up against a cement wall as they mature.

Vichys-soise is wonderful.

Earl · October 23, 2007

I think they were American Flag. I haven't looked to see how they're doing in weeks. Guess I need to check on them. Last year they did really great.

orflo · October 24, 2007

Over the years I've grown lots of varieties, Blauwgroene Winter, Bleu de Solaize,Carentan, St.Victor,...These are mostly winter-hardy leeks, there are some autumn leeks, even a yellow one. I sow the seeds from end of February, mid-March in a tray in the greenhouse and transplant them outside from half April, into holes about 5-6 inches deep. They want a good deal of manure and humidity throughout the season, harvest starts in November and lasts to the end of March or later, depending on the weather. I also have a n old variety of leek, that one is perennial ('oerprei' is the Flemish name, it is quite rare), I eat it fromMarch to the beginning of May, it's sweet and tender and it forms 'little children', as garlic does. Sometimes it forms seeds, which is very uncommon for this variety of leek (infact there are many stains within this variety). In August the plants die and the bulbs can be eaten or planted out. It is very simular to 'Perlzwiebel' but seems to be an other variety though .
Seed saving from 'common' leek is easy, just take the 15 or more best leeks, overwinter them and let them flower and form seeds, just take care different varieties don't cross with each other (and they do not cros with onions or chives or...)
Frank

FlipTX · October 24, 2007

A yellow leek! That sounds interesting. Good to hear they like humidity, as I have plenty of that, although I also have lots of heat.

orflo · October 24, 2007

The name is 'Jaune de Poitou', yellow-green leaves, I do not know if it's available in the US, it's an old French variety,
Frank

tuk50 · November 27, 2007

I've never heard of a yellow leek either and when I googled it, this place was the only one in the U.S. that I found that carried it. I ordered some for next spring, but haven't tried this place before. https://www.artisticgardens.com/catalog/
8)

salix · March 12, 2010

Has anyone tried planting their leeks in a 6" trench, backfilling the usual couple of inches, then gradually fill the trench with something other than soil - for instance straw or ?vermiculite or ?anything else. Just thought I'd experiment and try to eliminate the gritty bits. Has anyone tried planting less deeply and using some type of collar for blanching, like celery?

Medbury Gardens · March 12, 2010

I plant mine by poking the shovel handle down deep in the ground and drop the leek down into it,need to use three month old plants using this system though.

October 16, 2007	#1
FlipTX Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 271	Leeks! This is my first time growing leeks from seed. I've grown bunching onions from seed and I've grown leeks from the chopped-off root end of store-bought leeks, but this will be a new experience. Anyone have any tips? Any special leek-growing dance I should do?

October 16, 2007	#2
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	They take a looooooooooong time to mature from seed, at least for me they do. I start them mid-winter, then transplant singles into cell packs. When I plant I use a bulb planter and dig a hole about 6 inches deep, drop in the plant, then flick enough dirt to cover roots about and inch or two. Then I mulch. The top part of the hole will fill-in as time passes and the leek grows, giving you the white stem. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

October 22, 2007	#8
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	From seed--what Earl said. Start them in a trench and fill in as the leeks grow. The variety I've grown in Large American Flag. I started the seed indoors the first week in February. I had one plant from the 2004 season that I didn't harvest and it survived the winter and started growing again. I let it flower, left it in over the winter of 2005, then moved it over by the compost pile in 2006, left it over the winter, and it came back strong again this year. Any plant with that kind of survival instinct deserves to live. Leeks are hardy, slow to grow, can take the cold, and should have good soil and not too much competition from weeds. If you've got clay like I do, amend your planting trench with something with some give (some compost or loamy soil) so the growing leeks don't knock up against a cement wall as they mature. Vichys-soise is wonderful. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

October 23, 2007	#9
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	I think they were American Flag. I haven't looked to see how they're doing in weeks. Guess I need to check on them. Last year they did really great. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

October 16, 2007	#4
DeanRIowa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 5a - NE Iowa Posts: 416	"I've grown bunching onions from seed and I've grown leeks from the chopped-off root end of store-bought leeks" How well did the leeks grow? I wonder, if I could do the same with Scallions/green onions? Dean

October 17, 2007	#6
DeanRIowa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 5a - NE Iowa Posts: 416	Good idea, I would never have thought of that. Thanks, Dean

October 17, 2007	#7
johno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arkansas zone 6b Posts: 441	I forget the variety, but I sowed some leek seeds (from Baker Creek) last fall and they are "eatin' size" now.

October 24, 2007	#10
orflo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: belgium Posts: 134	Over the years I've grown lots of varieties, Blauwgroene Winter, Bleu de Solaize,Carentan, St.Victor,...These are mostly winter-hardy leeks, there are some autumn leeks, even a yellow one. I sow the seeds from end of February, mid-March in a tray in the greenhouse and transplant them outside from half April, into holes about 5-6 inches deep. They want a good deal of manure and humidity throughout the season, harvest starts in November and lasts to the end of March or later, depending on the weather. I also have a n old variety of leek, that one is perennial ('oerprei' is the Flemish name, it is quite rare), I eat it fromMarch to the beginning of May, it's sweet and tender and it forms 'little children', as garlic does. Sometimes it forms seeds, which is very uncommon for this variety of leek (infact there are many stains within this variety). In August the plants die and the bulbs can be eaten or planted out. It is very simular to 'Perlzwiebel' but seems to be an other variety though . Seed saving from 'common' leek is easy, just take the 15 or more best leeks, overwinter them and let them flower and form seeds, just take care different varieties don't cross with each other (and they do not cros with onions or chives or...) Frank

November 27, 2007	#13
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	I've never heard of a yellow leek either and when I googled it, this place was the only one in the U.S. that I found that carried it. I ordered some for next spring, but haven't tried this place before. https://www.artisticgardens.com/catalog/ 8)

March 12, 2010	#14
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Has anyone tried planting their leeks in a 6" trench, backfilling the usual couple of inches, then gradually fill the trench with something other than soil - for instance straw or ?vermiculite or ?anything else. Just thought I'd experiment and try to eliminate the gritty bits. Has anyone tried planting less deeply and using some type of collar for blanching, like celery?

March 12, 2010	#15
Medbury Gardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Medbury, New Zealand Posts: 1,881	I plant mine by poking the shovel handle down deep in the ground and drop the leek down into it,need to use three month old plants using this system though.