With these tips you can easily grow leeks in the garden

2020-05-05T11:51:01.853Z

Have you always wanted to plant leeks in your own garden? We have tips on how to grow it and how to harvest leek all year round.

Leek is a healthy vegetable that looks great in your garden.
The cultivation period is quite long, but your patience pays off.
With the right location and good care, you can harvest leeks all year round.

Leek, also known as leek, can be found as a delicious treat in numerous dishes and is also good for health: The root vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and trace elements and are intended to stimulate the immune system and have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system impact. It is also said to have an antibiotic effect. It is high time to get the vegetables in your own garden.

When is the right time to plant leeks?

When growing leeks, you can choose from a wide variety of varieties, which are divided into summer leek , autumn leek and winter leek . The optimal time for cultivation differs depending on which one you choose. If you want to harvest leeks in the garden from summer to autumn, it is best to start planting in the garden bed in March . Since late frosts can still occur, cover the young leek with fleece. Winter leek is planted in the garden until July. Thanks to the variety of varieties and planting dates, you can enjoy the root vegetables for many months.

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Planting leek: what you need to know about the location

Since leek is a heavy feeder , you should have a particularly nutritious soil ready for him. In addition, the earth should be humus-rich, moist and well-drained . Leeks grow best in a sunny, warm and sheltered location, but you can still get good results in partial shade.

Mixed culture: Which neighbors does Leuch get on with?

Mixed crops play an important role in vegetable growing. The right combination is often the deciding factor for success or failure, since certain types of vegetables can protect themselves from pests or distribute the nutrients well among themselves so that there is no deficiency. Leeks, for example, are found in strawberries *, cabbage, lettuce, carrots *, celery * or tomatoes * as good neighbors in the bed . Radish and wormwood even protect leeks from the leek moth. The situation is different for beans *, peas *, garlic * or beetroot * - you shouldn't put them side by side in the garden.

Fittingly : If you forget this thing while growing vegetables, diseases and pests are at risk.

How to prefer leek on the windowsill

You can prefer leeks or sow them directly outdoors. If you want to harvest earlier or have bought an early leek variety, it makes sense to prefer this on the windowsill. From January to February, sow the seeds in flat seed trays at about two centimeters deep. With small pot plates, two seeds per pot are sufficient - you do not need to separate the plants later. The temperature should not be below 17 degrees Celsius . The first seedlings can be seen after 14 days. From March, these will come into the cold frame or to another place outdoors where the young plants are protected. About six to nine weeks after sowing, the leek is about pencil-thick and therefore ready for the garden bed.

Instructions: How to plant leeks in the garden

Before the leek is planted in the garden or sown directly, prepare the soil with a compost or an organic fertilizer . From around mid-April, the leek plants will come into the bed. The cultivation is usually done in rows with a distance of 40 to 60 centimeters to each other, while the young plants need about 15 centimeters to each other . The planting holes should be about 15 centimeters deep. You can start direct sowing in early plants in March. When the leek is in the ground, water it vigorously.

Also interesting : Which fruits and vegetables can be grown in the shade?

Care tips for leek

So that the leek is particularly tasty, you should regularly pile it up from a certain size. This means that you pile the soil on the stem of the plant into a small mountain so that it is slightly covered. In this way, you ensure that vegetables grow stronger side roots to absorb nutrients and water. In the case of leeks, the accumulation ensures a longer white shaft, which becomes particularly mild and tender. Winter leeks protect you from freezing.

In addition, you should chop the bed regularly so that the soil remains loose and permeable. Also provide the leek with enough water. It needs a lot of moisture, especially on hot summer days. However, there should be no waterlogging. As a fertilizer, you can spread some organic fertilizer. However, it has also proven effective to add nettle slurry at least two weeks apart.

How to harvest leeks properly

A little patience is required when growing leeks. In contrast to other vegetables - such as radishes * for example - it has a long cultivation period . The leek is ready to harvest only five to eight weeks after planting. Summer leeks are mostly harvested between June and August, while winter leeks can be harvested from December through May. The stems should have a diameter of at least three centimeters .

If you want the summer leek to grow back after harvesting, just cut the stem above the root. This is not advisable for winter leeks, as the weather conditions do not allow this. Here you can get the leek completely out of the ground.

Plant leeks on the balcony

If there is no garden available, you can grow leeks in the raised bed on the balcony . To do this, choose a shady and sheltered location. Depending on the variety, you can sow the leek directly into the final planter from March and cover it thinly with soil. The seeds need a distance of 15 centimeters from each other. Make sure that the earth goes deep enough - preferably 30 centimeters - that the leek can form roots and that you can pile it up regularly. Give your leeks a liquid fertilizer every two weeks and keep the soil comfortably moist.

Read also : Which fruit and vegetables can I store together?