Leeks are not as common as regular onions onion. Nevertheless, in terms of its beneficial properties it is in no way inferior to its “relative”. This onion is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this, he is gaining more and more popularity. Growing leeks is not an easy task. This culture has special needs. It is, of course, possible to create favorable conditions. To do this, you need to know what exactly leeks need and how to grow them correctly. It is also worth understanding how to feed leeks so that they grow well and do not get sick.
Characteristics of leeks
This culture came to us from the Mediterranean coast. Leeks are a member of the lily family. In ancient times, it was actively grown in Africa, Greece and Rome. In Russia, this onion is grown in all regions, but most often only in the suburbs.
Both the leek leaves and the stem are eaten. This onion contains about 12% carbohydrates and up to 2% proteins. It is also rich in vitamins and mineral salts. During storage of leeks, the amount of vitamin C in it only increases. It retains freshness and taste well in winter.
It is useful for impaired metabolism and the presence of kidney stones. This onion has the ability to increase appetite, has a beneficial effect on the process of digesting food, and is used as a diuretic.
The height of the stem is about 15–55 cm and the thickness of the bulb is about 5 cm. The next year, the onion forms a flower, and then seeds appear on it. The inflorescence of this culture is a spherical umbrella. Leek flowers are light lilac or white in color. There is a pleasant aroma. The advantage of leeks is that they can germinate even at very low temperatures (about +5 °C). But still, onions grow more likely in warm climates. For normal growth, about +15 °C is enough for him.
The most important thing for this crop is moist and fertile soil. Leeks respond well to the addition of minerals, as well as to watering. Loamy soil with a neutral acidity level is best suited for its cultivation. Soils that are too loose, acidic or heavy are unsuitable for growing this onion.
Leek care
Plant leeks for seedlings start in April. Before planting, the roots and leaves of the onion are trimmed so that it takes root better. Seedlings should be planted to a depth of about 5 cm, while also burying the leaves. Between the rows of onions, you must leave at least 45 cm, and about 15 cm between the onions themselves. For long-term storage and use of leeks in the fall, planting should begin in early spring. But you can plant onions throughout the summer. By autumn, young fresh plants will arrive. Onions can be eaten immediately or left for the second year. Leeks tolerate wintering well under snow.True, in severe frost and without a thick layer of snow, plants will not be able to survive. Leaving the onions for the winter, it will be possible to harvest in May. Immediately after planting, seedlings grow very slowly. And all care consists of watering and loosening the bed in a timely manner.
Basic care for leeks cannot be called difficult. But at the same time, all these rules must be strictly followed. Onions will have to pay the most attention at the very beginning of growth. The main condition for good growth of leeks is the absence weed in the garden. They should be removed constantly.
Drying out the soil is also contraindicated for leeks. It should always be slightly damp. Throughout the growth of the plant, it is necessary to constantly hill up the onions. This is the only way to get tender white bulbs. After this, you should immediately mulch the soil. If we talk about mulch, you can use:
- chopped straw;
- dry manure;
- hay or straw.
Leeks are able to grow even after they have been collected and placed in the cellar. But for this he needs good nutrition throughout the growing season. You can start fertilizing immediately after the onion reaches about 20 cm in height.
For this you can use the following mixture:
- half a liter of mullein;
- five liters of water.
It is necessary to irrigate the rows with this solution.
Such nutritious watering is carried out on not very fertile soils. If the soil was fertilized before planting onions, then nettle infusions should be used instead of mullein.
You already understand that leeks love moisture, so watering should be plentiful. During intensive formation of green mass, it is necessary to increase the amount of water for irrigation. It is important to ensure that the soil never dries out, but at the same time is not wet. Harvesting should be done in late autumn, or even in winter if there are no severe frosts.
Also, caring for leeks includes regular weeding, fertilizing and disease prevention. You need to loosen the soil often, about once every 2 weeks. It is also important not to forget to hill the onions regularly. Leeks need to be watered every 4-5 days depending on weather conditions. The first couple of days after planting onions, you should not water them. For every square meter of bed you will need about 10–14 liters of water.
In order to extend the shelf life of onions, they must be collected several days before the onset of frost. This is the most favorable time to transport onions to a storage location. Next, it is slightly dried to remove excess moisture and the roots are trimmed. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the scales of the onion. Then you should cut off the hanging parts of the leaves. It is also necessary to ensure that soil particles do not get into the spaces between the leaves.
Feeding leeks
Over the entire season, it is necessary to fertilize leeks 3 or 4 times. The first feeding is carried out 3 weeks after planting. To do this, use the following solution:
- 5 liters of water.
- 10 grams of ammonium nitrate.
- 7–8 grams of potassium salt.
Watering with this fertilizer is carried out as usual, only between rows. This amount of fertilizer should be enough for 2m2. Onions also respond well to fertilizing with a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1/10 and bird droppings in a ratio of 1/20.
This feeding will protect the plants from fungus.
Pests and diseases
One of the dangerous diseases of leeks is mosaic. This is a viral disease transmitted by aphids. The virus appears as yellow spots on the leaves of the plant. Such onions are stunted in growth and do not have a very presentable appearance. Unfortunately, this disease is incurable. The affected bow is simply destroyed. To protect plants from mosaic damage, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of agricultural technology when growing leeks. In this case, you can use products that will repel aphids and ticks. It is also recommended to plant onion seeds that are at least 2 years old. By doing this, the likelihood of a mosaic infestation is reduced. The fact is that after lying for such a time, many viruses die, including mosaic.
The next common disease of leeks is considered rust and powdery mildew. These are fungal diseases that can occur when water stagnates in the soil. When infected with powdery mildew, plants become covered with oval-shaped spots. This onion is not suitable for human consumption. Rust is recognized by the characteristic yellow fungal pads that cover the leaves. Subsequently, these pads become black, after which the onion leaves lose their strength and dry out. Immediately after the first signs of rust appear, diseased plants must be removed immediately. Healthy onions should be treated with a solution of copper oxychloride and phytosporin. Preventing the occurrence of the disease is very difficult.But you can significantly increase the stability of onions by following the rules of care and carrying out the necessary fertilizing.
The pest of leeks is onion fly, which can completely destroy the crop by its actions. This pest appears in May and immediately begins to lay eggs on onion leaves and in the soil. A few days later, larvae emerge from them. They actively eat leeks from the inside, which is why they begin to rot. To protect leeks from onion flies, you need to sprinkle the bed with wood ash. Tobacco dust or a mixture of ash and dust is also perfect. You can repel onion flies using ground black pepper.
Alternatively, you can prepare a special tobacco infusion to combat onion flies:
- 5 liters of water;
- 1 teaspoon of liquid soap;
- 200 grams of tobacco.
All components are mixed and left for a couple of hours for the solution to infuse. Then you need to strain it and you can start watering the garden bed. The onion fly does not like celery. So some gardeners specifically plant this plant between leeks to repel it.
In addition to these diseases, leeks are often affected by black mold, fusarium, and neck rot.
Conclusion
As you can see, growing leeks in your garden will require patience and effort. This crop will grow only in moist soil with high fertility levels. To protect it from pests and diseases, it is necessary to regularly carry out feeding and preventive procedures. But, having done all this, you will get very useful homemade onions, which will give you the necessary vitamins all winter.
