Leek is not so popular as usual, and it is not so easy to find it on a country garden bed.
However, his lovers have long understood that planting this plant on their own is much cheaper and easier.
Moreover, the process of growing leek is almost no different from the usual cultivation of all garden plants, and also brings a lot of pleasure.
Thus, our article will be fully devoted to a detailed description of how to prepare for planting and implement it yourself in your own garden.
Do not forget to talk about how to provide leeks full care throughout the growing season.
What are the features and secrets of planting a leek: in order we get acquainted with all the nuances
Leek has another very beautiful name - pearl onions. Despite the fact that in our country it is not very common as a home plant that can be grown directly in its own garden.
However, this plant is a very ancient and useful culture, which is why modern gardeners pay attention to leek. After all, you can eat not only the stems, but also its delicate leaves.
Leek breeding usually takes place with the help of seeds, which can be purchased at any specialty store, but direct planting is carried out with the help of seedlings. However, there is the possibility of planting this plant without seed, if climatic conditions can allow it.
What growth conditions do you need to provide for leeks or requirements for your garden?
With regard to the conditions of growing leek, then this plant can be called heat-loving to a greater extent, since its seedlings usually land closer to summer. To grow to him need a lot of sunshine and heat. For this reason, next to the leek, and especially from the south and south-west of it, it is better not to plant any strong-growing plants.
In a shaded place, the leek leaves will not be so deeply green, and the taste of the onion may also suffer.
Special temperature conditions are needed for seedlings. When it is grown in boxes with soil it is very important that the temperature was not very high. The reason lies in the fact that with a large abundance of heat, seedlings can start a flower arrow right away in the first year, and not in the second as it should be normal.
When sowing seeds, it is best to use peat-perchny pots and peat tablets. They will give onion seeds a lot of nutrients and will contribute to the excellent growth of seedlings.
Do not forget about watering seedlings with a compost solution. They are needed by the plant throughout the entire period of growth in an enclosed space, in which, in contrast to an open bed, nutrients do not get from the external environment.
When planting seedlings in the garden, there will not be any special requirements for the soil, although fertilizing should be carried out in any case and it is recommended to do it regularly. The only important thing is that the soil should be light, without any problems letting moisture through itself and not holding it for very long periods of time.
In no case, do not plant leeks on such beds, where groundwater can rise to the level of the roots of the plant. This can cause serious damage to the plant.
Best of all, the predecessors of this plant in the garden were potatoes, tomatoes with cucumbers, legumes, or white cabbage.
Features timing of planting leek: discuss the requirements for air temperature and soil
Above, we have already told that a leek can be planted in different ways and at different times, which directly depends on the climatic conditions of your region. So, if you do seedless sowing of seeds in the south of our country, then it is recommended to do this not earlier than May 15.
With good soil moisture and its temperature not lower than 12ºС, the seeds will very soon grow and grow.
In more northern regions, it is better to choose a seedling method for growing leek. The fact is that the growing season of this onion is quite long and planted with seeds in conditions with a short period of heat, he will not have time to ripen to the desired size and condition.
But before the seedlings to plant it still need to sow:
- If the seeds were sown in boxes on a windowsill, then the best time for this would be mid or last February. Under these conditions, the leek will not grow and develop very intensively, but by the time it is suitable for a transplant, the seedlings will be mature enough and will be able to easily adapt to the new conditions. Another remark to this method of growing seedlings is that the length of daylight for leeks should be not less than 10 hours. Since in February and the first month of spring it is almost impossible, the plant will have to be artificially highlighted.
- If there is a glazed greenhouse in your garden, feel free to sow leeks in it already in mid-April. In such conditions, the seeds will very quickly grow and the growth of seedlings will be quite intense.
- Leek seeds can also be sown directly on the breast at the end of April, but it is recommended to keep the whole bed under the film until stable heat arrives. However, you will have to be very attentive to the germinating grains and the seedlings that have emerged from them, so that it does not cover up under the film and receive enough oxygen and sunlight.
Planted in the garden seedlings can be in May, when the soil warms up well. Keep in mind that she has slow growth and will be ready to transplant only after 6-8 weeks from the time of sowing. About the readiness for planting will indicate the diameter of the stems of seedlings - 5-8 millimeters, as well as the appearance of 2-3 leaves on it.
What is the preparation and sowing of leek seeds?
The seeds of this onion can not be immediately thrown from the bag into the ground. Before that, they must be cleaned, that is, disinfected. This is done very simply and quickly: first, for a very short period of time, they must be placed in water heated to 40-45 ° C, and then immediately cooled down with cold water.
After this procedure, the leek seeds should not be poured in a thick layer on the wet and warm cloth, cover it and leave it in a warm place so that they sprout. Optimally, so that the temperature does not fall below 25 ° C, then literally in 2-3 they will start to germinate a little.
Then it will be possible to dry them a little so that they do not grow together among themselves and sort of scatter. After that, you can immediately begin to sow them in the soil. But this technology of preparation is more suitable for the seeds actually grown, because the purchased ones can be immediately sent to the soil, as they are usually sold already processed and easily germinate.
As for the required temperature for germination, immediately after sowing the seeds in the pots, they should be kept at air temperature from 22 to 25 ºС with the corresponding temperature and humidity of the soil.
Also, the soil contains under the film, which, after the appearance of gatherings necessarily removed. Further, the temperature should be slightly lowered to 17 ° C during the daytime and to 12 ° C. After one week, the temperature conditions need to be slightly increased, which provokes more intensive growth: in the daytime from 17 to 20ºС, and at night - from 10 to 14 ºС.
Also, in order to improve the growth efficiency of the future leek and in order for the seedlings to thicken, it should be thinned a month after the emergence, leaving a distance of 2-3 centimeters between the stems.
Also, it is very important to constantly monitor the length of the leaves of the seedlings, leaving it approximately at the level of 8-10 centimeters. Such a procedure will be well reflected in the growth of the root and the thickening of the stem.
In open ground, seeds are sown only in the southern regions, but in the middle lane it is better to send them either to boxes with soil, or to glass or film greenhouses.
Leek seeds can be stored for a long time. They can produce good shoots even after three years. The main thing is to keep them in a dry and warm place, not to allow temperature drops and humidity.
We are engaged in preparing the beds for planting leeks
The preparation of the beds also cannot be overlooked, since it is from it that the size and quality of the future crop will depend. In particular, in the autumn about 6 kilograms of compost are introduced per 1 m2, which by the spring will have time to partially decompose and significantly increase the level of soil fertility.
In the spring, you can also sprinkle humus or the same compost over the bed, with a cost estimate of 3 kilograms of fertilizer per 1 m2. At the same time, before planting, it is not necessary to dig up a bed with fertilizers laid out on it, they will dig in during the planting of the seedlings themselves.
Preparation of seedlings of leeks for planting in open soil
Already at 6-7 week of growth of seedlings it needs to be gradually prepared for transplantation. In particular, plants worth a little hardenso that it begins to get used not to the room, but to the natural conditions of growth. To do this, daylight boxes with seedlings are carried out on the street, if weather conditions allow.
Before planting, the seedlings are pulled out of the former soil, having previously been watered. It is recommended to trim its roots and leaves slightly, reducing their length by 1/3.
Council gardener: In order for the leek seedlings to settle down better and faster in a new place, before planting, its roots should be dipped into a talker. The composition of the talker should include equal quantities of clay and cow dung slightly diluted with water.
Rules and scheme of planting seedlings of leeks: how to ensure the plant optimal nutrition area?
Seedlings of leeks planted in specially prepared holes. Their depth must be made large enough so that a sufficient amount of stubborn and decomposed humus or compost can be put on the bottom. 10-13 centimeters will be enough for this.
Only one plant is planted in one well, since the leek does not grow in the bush method. After that, the seedlings are covered with earth to half a pit and compacted well.
So that the soil is settled as closely as possible, it should be watered abundantly after planting. The most important thing is that there are no airbags near the roots that can dry them.
As for the scheme of planting leek seedlings, then this plant can be planted in the following ways:
- Planting leek seedlings in two rows, which implies a distance of 15-20 centimeters between plants in one row. At the same time, the distance between the rows should be no less than 30-35 centimeters. Such planting is not very economical with respect to the distribution of the space of the whole garden, however, it makes it possible to grow very large bulbs.
- With multi-row planting, the onion itself may not reach a very serious size, but the yield still remains high due to a closer planting of the seedlings. In particular, the distance between two plants in one row can be reduced to 10-15 centimeters, and between rows to 20-30 centimeters.
Tips gardener:
- Most of the garden plants, and leek is no exception, it is most acceptable to grow in narrow beds. This will not only facilitate the care of plants, but also increase their productivity.
- If you have chosen a two-row leek planting scheme, then it is not necessary to leave wide aisles empty. On them, you can sow either dill or carrots, with which the leek has simply excellent compatibility. Also, a good neighborhood can turn out with celery, beets, common onions, and even strawberries.
What is the right care for leeks: we tell in detail about the most important aspects
Good to grow, develop and bear fruit can only wild plants, but those that have been mastered by man, require mandatory care. This statement undoubtedly applies to leeks, the thickness and size of which directly depend on the nutritional value of the soil and on the regularity of irrigation.
Loosening the soil around the leek: why and how often should be done?
Loosening the soil of the garden where leeks grow is imperative. After all, such a procedure not only allows the soil to be saturated with oxygen, but also contributes to a more rapid penetration of moisture into it, and also facilitates the growth of roots. Loosening regularlypreferably every 1-2 weeks.
During loosening of the soil, it is also important to constantly pour the soil into the hole near the stem of a leek (this is done to achieve the stalk of the plant with a pencil diameter).
After the hole is already level with the level of the soil, the leeks fill up every two weeks. This allows you to grow a longer stem with a large white part. This procedure is carried out at least 4 times in one season after watering.
We provide onions with moisture: frequency and volume of watering
Moisture is the basis of young leek growth.
After all, this plant requires frequent and regular attention from the gardener, which would be aimed at determining the state of soil moisture.
In particular, regular and abundant watering of this plant should be carried out necessarily, since its entry into the growing season and until mid-summer.
Of course, that overdoing with moisture is not worth it, which will also negatively affect the growth of the plant.
Do I need top dressing leeks and what fertilizers for this need to use?
In principle, the leek can not feed. But, in this case, to achieve high results may not work. So it is better to work a little and spend their efforts on feeding this plant.
To carry out this procedure is the same as irrigation, only in the first half of the growing season of the plant. Onions are fed exclusively with solutions that are prepared from poultry and cow dung. The concentration of the first in the water should be 1:20, and the second - 1: 8. The regularity of such dressings will allow to level the shortcomings of even the most fertile soil.
How to effectively deal with weeds in the beds with leeks?
Weeding beds is the most effective way to control weeds. Of course, modern gardeners are familiar with the existence of various chemicals that can prevent the emergence of weeds. However, if you grow onions in your own garden, it is better to grow an environmentally friendly product and walk through the garden removing all weeds. After all, with a large number of them, the thickness of onion stems will significantly decrease.
Also, it can cause an increase in soil moisture. To the bed does not overgrow with unnecessary plants, weed it regularly.
