#David Collard

[downthetubes]

Dark Horse Books lines up “Transplants”, marking comics debut for screenwriter and producer Dave Collard

Dark Horse Books has announced Transplants, a thought-provoking science fiction/superhero graphic novel written by David “Dave” Collard

Dark Horse Books has announced Transplants, a thought-provoking science fiction/superhero graphic novel written by David “Dave” Collard (Family Guy, Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness) in his comics debut. Domenico Carbone joins as the penciller and inker along with colourist Josh Rodriguez and letterer Frank Cvetkovic. Dave, who began his career writing on Family Guy, was also a producer…

[mariocki]

Nightmare at Noon (Death Street USA, 1988)

"Just doesn't make any sense. Folks I've known all my life feuding with each other for no reason. Hospital filled with people bleeding green blood. Telephones and the radios don't work. And the damn cars breaking down at the city limits!"

"Think something's behind it?"

[movie-titlecards]

The Fitzroy (2017)

My rating: 5/10

Post-apocalyptic faux- Wes Anderson movie about shenanigans on a submarine/hotel. It's fine, but not terribly impressive, and the scenes where they wear gas masks make Bane from that one Batman movie sound like a master of elocution.

[atheneum-of-you]

I'm so happy so many people have found my tiny library useful! l've added a few more books for everyone!

Books Inside:

Ancient Greek Religion Jon D. Mikalson

Ancient Greek Cults Jennifer Larson

Ancient Greek Divination Sarah /les Johnston

The Odyssey Homer

The Homeric Hymns A Translation, with Introduction and Notes by Rayor Diane J

The llyad Homer translated by Stanley Lombardo

Apollodorus The Library, Volumes 1 and Il Sir James George Frazer

The Orphic Hymns Athanassakis

Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens

A History of Ancient Greece Robin Waterfield

The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Greek Religion Esther Eidinow and Julia Kindt

A Companion to Greek Religion Daniel Ogden

Theogony Hesiod

( donated by @angieisreading )

Magika Hiera Ancient Greek Magic and Religion Christopher A. Faraone, Dirk Obbink

Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra Sophocles, H.D.F. Kitto, Edith Hall

The Bacchantes Euripides

The Oresteia Agamemnon The Libation Bearers The Eumenides Aeschylus W. B. Stanford, Robert Fagles

Euripides II Andromache, Hecuba, the Suppliant Women, Electra The Complete Greek Tragedies - Euripides II

Sophocles Oedipus Rex

Medea Euripides, Michael Collier, Georgia Machemer

Aristophanes Clouds, Women at the Thesmophoria, Frogs A Verse Translation, with Introduction and Notes Stephen Halliwell

Heracles of Euripides Euripides Michael R. Halleran

Euripides Iphigenia at Aulis Christopher Collard James Morwood

Lysistrata Aristophanes, Jeffrey Henderson

(donated by @anyrisse )

Women's Dress in the Ancient Greek World Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

Underworld Gods in Ancient Greek Religion Ellie Mackin Roberts

Understanding Greek Religion Jennifer Larson

The Gods of Ancient Greece Jan N. Bremmer and Andrew Erskine

Restless Dead Sarah Isles Johnston

Myths of the Underworld Journey Radcliffe G. Edmonds III

Marriage to Death Rush Rehm

Greek Religion Walter Burkert

Greek Popular Religion in Greek Philosophy Jon D. Mikalson

Greek Magic J.C.B. Petropoulos

Greek and Roman Necromancy Daniel Qgden

Gods and Garments Cecile Brøns

Bride of Hades to Bride of Christ Abbe Lind Walker

Aphrodite's Tortoise Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

Ancient Mystery Cults Walter Burkert

Ancient Greek Love Magic Christopher A. Faraone

Cult of Aphrodite Laurelei Black

Aphrodite's Priestess Laurelei Black

Festivals of Attica: An Archaeological Commentary Erika Simon

Games and sanctuaries in Ancient Greece Panos Valavanis translated by David Harty

Divine Mania Alteration of Consciousness in Ancient Greece Yulia Ustinova

Omens and oracles Divination in ancient Greece Matthew Dillon

Cults and Rites in Ancient Greece Essays on Religion and Society Michael H. Jameson, Allaire B. Stallsmith etc.

Pharnabazos, the Diviner of Hermes. Two Ostraka with Curse Letters from Olbia Andrei Lebedev

Some are pdfs and some are epubs but all of them are free for your reading enjoyment and learning!

l'll be adding more as time goes on and at the requests and suggestions of others so if you think something is missing or have a request please don't hesitate to ask me to add it!

As usual a massive thank you to Lord Hermes Dôtor Eaôn/Lord Hermes Arkhos Phêlêteôn for the idea, this library is a dedication and offering to him and adding to it is all in his name ♡

[tightwadspoonies]

Eating Well

If you are someone who struggles to figure out what to eat, this post may help.

There is a lot of information out there about eating well. It's important to know it's not as complicated as most guides try to make it. The following is a simple way of looking at food adapted from David Werner's Where There Is No Doctor:

You need a main food, or foods. A "Main Food" is one or more starch bases, like pasta/noodles, bread/tortilla/biscuits, hominy, rice, potatoes, taro, millet, barley, or another grain or starchy tuber.

These are usually cheap and should make up a majority of your calories. They often also provide an amount of protein, vitamins and minerals.

However, living on starchy bases alone is not adequate. To them, you need to add at least one or two each of "Go Foods", "Grow Foods" and "Glow Foods" every day.

"Go Foods" are energy foods. They are things like oils, fats, peanuts, other nuts, oily seeds (like sesame and sunflower), and sugars (like granulated sugar, honey, maple syrup, and fruit juices). Eat more of these if you are doing heavy work. They can also replace some of your Main Food, though they are often somewhat more expensive.

"Grow Foods" are foods that build muscle and other body tissues and heal injuries. They include animal foods (like meat, eggs, milk, and fish), legumes (beans, peas, peanuts, and lentils), and seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, melon, etc...).

"Glow Foods" are foods that contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. These include dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, radish greens, etc...), orange vegetables (carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, winter squash of any kind, etc...), fruits (apples, pears, berries, quince, etc...) and other vegetables (turnips, radishes, summer squash, onions, cabbage, etc...), herbs and spices (chili powder, garlic, cumin, thyme, oregano, sage, cinnamon, etc...).

Example meals (each meal does not need to contain all types of foods, as long as someone is eating some of each every day):

A rice bowl (Main) with vegetable (Glow) and bean (Grow) curry (Glow).

Oatmeal (Main) with whole or coconut milk (Go, Grow) and berries (Glow)

Spaghetti (Main) with tomato sauce (Glow) and meatballs (Grow)

Tapioca pudding (Main, Grow, Go) with cinnamon and nutmeg (Glow)

Farrow (Main) with stewed tomatoes (Glow) and olive oil (Go)

Zucchini boats (Glow) with black beans (Grow), rice (Main) and cheese (Go, Grow)

Baked potato (Main) with broccoli (Glow) and cheese (Go, Grow)

Potato (Main) and spinach (Glow) curry (Glow)

Whole fat yogurt (Grow, Go), granola (Main, Go), and berries (Glow)

Peanut butter (Go, Grow) and jam (Go, Glow) on toast (Main)

[mossymercury004]

My aesthetic

hating school but loving to learn

messy and smudged cursive written in black ink

almost illegible notes

room full of house plants

candles everywhere because ew electric lights

scattered papers all over the floor and desk

owning a bookshelf but half of the books are in piles on the floor

obsessed with David Bowie, Queen and any other rock stars from the 70s

studying with music but the genre of music changes every 10 songs

drinking way too much tea and coffee

sleep?

shelves if trinkets collected from walks (rocks, crystals, bones, dried flowers)

annotating classics with words like "LMAO" and "that's rough buddy"

rereading dead poets society, the secret history and the picture of Dorian Gray a million times

obsessed with astronomy

researching topics and conspiracy theories at 3am

scrolling through TikTok and Pintrest instead or studying

Reading horror books (Lovecraft and Poe)

Only wearing Doc martens and converse cuz they're the only shoes i own

mixing grunge (flannels, ripped jeans, band tees, fishnets) with fancy clothes (grandpa sweaters, collard shirts, dress pants, blazers)

leather jackets covered in pins (bonus points if they're handmade)

loving cryptids and all things supernatural

crimes, sci-fi or horror movies playing in the background while studying

notes covered in doodles

hair constantly being messily pulled back

way too much jewellery

heavy eye makeup (bonus points if slept without taking off)

loving the rain/ dancing in the rain

Mars bars and mint aeros

book pages beside band posters on walls

obsessed with eyes ( but can't make eye contact)

spending cold days at art galleries, museums, and libraries

playing punk rock on guitar and classical music on piano

having the same hairstyle for 3 years

ink and paint covered hands

in love with the moon

talking to the moon and stars

freaking out about failing a test and then getting 100%

Greek Mythology

"Achilles was a bottom"

sleeping with 10 blankets

crying about dead historic figures in the middle of the night

using halloween decorations as everyday decorations

POMEGRANTE

justice for pluto

protesting women's and lgbtq rights

ranting about the issues of misogyny in ancient greece

coffee stained paper

finding random things in pockets

singing songs in different languages but not knowing what the lyrics mean

chipped nail polish

A bowl of used matches

[qnewsau]

Time to tackle the problem of homophobia in the AFL

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/the-problem-of-homophobia-in-the-afl/

Time to tackle the problem of homophobia in the AFL

The AFLW season has started and when it comes to inclusion for our communities, is kicking goals over AFL. As co-founder of Hawks Pride and cohost of Chicks Talking Footy on JOY 94.9, Fiona Newton loves her footy. She has a lot to say about homophobia when it comes to our national sport. She shared her thoughts in last month’s Victorian QNews.

In 2024, there have been multiple sanctions for homophobic slurs and language.

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson, and Gold Coast player Wil Powell.

St Kilda player Lance Collard used the word f***t up to 10 times in a VFL game against Williamstown.

This was on the same weekend that St Kilda hosted a Pride Game with the Sydney Swans.

It raises the question, is it an inclusive workplace for gay male players?

The AFL has 530,000 registered players in over 25,000 clubs across Australia. One in twenty-one Australians hold an AFL club membership.

Footy has a huge influence on Australian society, so if footy becomes a more inclusive space for gay men, so does our society.

When AFL CEO Andrew Dillon was asked whether the league had a homophobia problem, he replied, “No, I don’t think we do. But I think language of the type that has been used is not acceptable in any forum, let alone the footy field.”

Dillon warned players of more severe sanctions for homophobic slurs in future.

If there is no problem with homophobia in footy, why has no past or present gay male footy player felt comfortable to be open about their sexuality in the sport?

Why is it not okay to be gay at the AFL?

In a recent podcast, The Invisible Men (of the AFL), John Buck interviewed Dr David Lowton from La Trobe University, the author of a world-first comprehensive academic survey of 670 players.

They confirmed for the first time that gay men are playing AFL at the highest levels.

Several players ticked the box in the anonymous survey confirming that they were gay and some were bisexual.

We know that being ‘in the closet’, suppressing part of your identity, and fearing being shunned in the community and excluded from friendships causes a huge amount of angst.

We don’t see this same angst with gay female players in World Cup soccer or the AFLW. Gay female players are open about who they are dating, married to and having babies with.

We are used to seeing women hold their same-sex partner’s hands on the best and fairest nights.

Most clubs would say, with sincerity, that they would welcome a gay male player if they were to come out publicly and openly about their sexuality.

This seems to be delusional when players and coaches are still using homophobic language on the footy field which sends the opposite message – being gay is bad and we won’t accept you.

I dream of a day that we see a gay male player holding his partner’s hand at the Brownlow. But that will mean understanding that homophobic slurs keep our gay male players in the closet!

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien]

Solar Opposites Characters Theme Songs

Korvo Solar-Opposites: “F.L.Y.” from Ice Nine Kills

Terry Solar-Opposites: “5 Leaf Clover” from Luke Combs

Yumyulack Solar-Opposites: “Me Against the World” from Simple Plan

Jesse Solar-Opposites: “Teenage Dream” from Katy Perry

Pupa Solar-Opposites: “Starships” from Nicki Minaj

Sonya Solar-Opposites: “Complicated” from Avril Lavigne

Lili Solar-Opposites: “Gift of a Friend” from Demi Lovato

Phoebe MacCarthy: “Good Girl” from Carrie Underwood

Janiz Solar-Opposites: “Meant for Something Better” from Audien ft. Lady A.

Evil Terry Solar-Opposites: “Collard” from Vane Lily

AISHA Solar-Opposites: “Turn Me On” from Nicki Minaj ft. David Guetta

EVA Solar-Opposites: “Cups” from Anna Kendrick

MAX Solar-Opposites: “I Am Machine” from Three Days Grace

Kimber: “Rule the World” from Take That

Monica Miller: “She’s So Gone” from Naomi Scott

Parker: “On my Way” from Alex Lahey

Ms. Frankie: “Oh No” from Marina and The Diamonds

Principal Cooke: “Poster Child” from Red Hot Chili Peppers

Cherie: “Wide Awake” from Katy Perry

Montez: “Wrong Side of Heaven” (orchestral version) from Five Finger Death Punch

Pezlie: “Take Me There” from Mya ft. Blackstreet, Mase and Blinky Blink

Nova: “When I Look At You” from Miley Cyrus

Ms. Perez: “Lift Me Up” from Rihanna

Mia: “New” from No Doubt

Kevin: “Best Song Ever” from Simple Plan

Sherbet: “Lollipop” from MIKA

Jamie: “Give Me Everything Tonight” from Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer

Darcy: “Give Your Heart a Break” from Demi Lovato

Angela (Kevin’s Wife): “So What?!” from P!nk

Mark Melner: “Hero” from Christopher Wilde

Abby and Owen (Kevin’s Daughter and Kevin’s Son): “I’m Just a Kid” from Simple Plan

Randall: “Beast and the Harlot” from Avenged Sevenfold

Cheery Smithers: “Had Me @ Hello” from Olivia Holt

Janice: “Honey and The Bee” from Owl City

Stacy G: “Chemistry” from Kelly Clarkson

Shauna: “I Really Like You” from Carly Rae Jepsen

Trevor: “Cruise” (remix) from Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly

Alice: “Tell Me Something I don’t Know” from Selena Gomez

Dr. Weatherstone: “Genius” from Sia ft. Labrinth and Diplo

Naomi: “Something Real” from Kelli Berlungd and China Ann McClain

Sister Sisto: “Don’t Tell Me” from Disturbed ft. Ann Wilson

Super Shlorpian Korvo: “Part of Me” from Disturbed

Mundane Terry: “Monster” from Imagine Dragons

Super Shlorpian Yumyulack: “The Night” from Disturbed

Mundane Jesse: “In The Dark” from Birthday Massacre

Phoebe MacCarthy and Monica Miller belongs to @themagicwolf6677

Janiz, Lili, EVA and MAX belongs to @avaveevo

Cheery and Naomi belongs to me

[bishimightwing]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄.

FAVORITE TEA: honestly, southern sweet iced black tea

FAVORITE COFFEE: hazelnut latte, cappucino

FAVORITE SWEET SNACK: fruity things, children's cereal, sucker pops, fudges, Oreos anything Oreos

FAVORITE SAVORY SNACK: pickles, my boy needs his salts for that pain in the ass and damn near dehydration he can put himself into sometimes

FAVORITE FLOWER: tulips

FAVORITE FRUIT: berries, papaya, avocado, honeycrisp apples, plantains, coconut, he loves limes!

FAVORITE VEGETABLE: spuds, carrots, collards, spicy peppers

FAVORITE SEASON: early spring or late autumn 

FAVORITE TIME OF DAY: afternoon

FAVORITE KIND OF WEATHER: cool and breezy

LOVE LANGUAGE(S): hospitality, compliments

FAVORITE HOBBIES: cooking/baking, video gaming, boxing, martial arts, aerial stunting, dancing, fitness

FAVORITE BOOK(S): Freakonomics (he's this much a socialist lefty lol)

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): teen horrors, Tim Curry character films, smart comedies, outrageous crime drama like Snatch, the Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of The Dead and Hot Fuzz in particular)

FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE: pop, oldies, alternative

FAVORITE MUSICIAN: Prince, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, MyChemicalRomance, Deftones, Linkin Park, Type O Negative, Nirvana, Weezer, Arctic Monkeys, The Smiths, The Cure, Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, No Doubt, N*Sync, Paramore, gorillaz, Bo Burnham, Taylor Swift

FAVORITE ANIMALS: dogs and cats

FAVORITE INSECT: ladybugs and pretty moths

stolen from: @ratwhsprs

tagging: ANYONE who wants to give it a shot

[tameblog]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[alexha2210]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[angusstory]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[tumibaba]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[romaleen]

Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

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Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum The leek looks like a steroid-fueled green onion. It’s considerably fatter than a scallion, at one to three inches wide, and about twice as tall. But it totally wears the same outfit, albeit in a bigger size. It is in fact related to onions, offering a mild, sweet, onion-like flavor that is used to season any number of dishes – more on that later in this article. Leeks are a cool-weather crop, with an ideal growing-temperature range of 55 to 75°F. Like collard greens, they appreciate a frost or two for better flavor development. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Most varieties are hardy to Zones 7 or 8, though some types can tolerate cooler weather. We’ll offer some specifics shortly. The plant is a biennial, though damage and dieback due to a hard freeze will make it an annual. The topmost, leafy green part of the plant is called the “flag,” and the white part is usually called the “stem” or “stalk,” though botanically speaking these are misnomers. The white part of the plant is technically a tight bundle of leaf sheaths. Ready to dive in to the fascinating world of the leek? Here’s what’s to come in this article: It’s time to get growing! Leeks are native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. They were cultivated in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago, and enjoyed by the workers who built the pyramids. As well as being a staple in the diet of ordinary people, apparently the emperor Nero was fond of a leek or two, eating them almost daily to strengthen his voice. Quick Look Common name(s): Leek Plant type: Biennial vegetable Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 Native to: Mediterranean Season: Spring Exposure: Full sun Soil type: Rich and well draining Soil pH: 6.0-7, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 80-150 days, depends on variety Spacing: 6 inches Planting depth: Seeds -1/8 inch, seedlings – half the depth Mature size: 6-12 inches wide x 2-3 feet high Water Needs: 1 inch per week Taxonomy Order: Apiales Family: Amaryllidaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. ampeloprasum var. porrum Cultivars: various The Greek physician Hippocrates is thought to have prescribed this vegetable as a cure for nose bleeds. Leeks make an appearance in what is regarded as the world’s first cookbook, “Apicius de re Coquinaria,” (“On the Subject of Cooking”) compiled in fourth- to fifth-century Rome. The recipe collection includes several for leeks, most of which showcase it not as a seasoning for other foods, but as a vegetable to be enjoyed on its own. It is thought that the vegetable spread across Europe and to the British Isles by the marauding Romans. European settlers brought the vegetable to North America. For reasons that are not completely understood, the vegetable is today the national emblem of Wales and is worn proudly on St. David’s Day – a holiday to honor the country’s patron saint. Propagation You can grow leeks from seed or, like the pineapple, propagate it from kitchen scraps. From Seed Start seeds indoors in pots or seed trays. Scatter seeds on top of a rich potting mix, and then cover them with a scant dusting of soil. You can expect germination within five to 12 days. Or you can direct sow outdoors, as long as air temperatures are below 77 and above 55°F. The optimal temperature for germination is between 70 and 77°F. Seedlings will be ready to transplant when they’re six to eight inches tall. Harden them off by moving them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually lengthening the time spent outside each day for about a week. When you’re ready to transplant, remove seedlings from the soil and gently separate them. Create narrow holes in your prepared bed that are about half as deep as the seedlings, from the root to the top of the stem. The holes should be narrow, not more than an inch in diameter, and can be made by poking a dowel or ‘dibber’ into the ground – as opposed to digging a hole with a garden spade. They should be spaced 6 inches apart in rows that are one foot apart. Set the seedlings into the holes; some of the green part may be below the soil surface, and that’s okay for this plant. Fill the holes with water, but do not backfill the holes with soil. The soil will gradually crumble in, but it will be loose, allowing the leeks to swell to a plump diameter as they grow. From Scraps You can also start a new plant from the rooted bit at the end of a leek stalk. Simply cut off and use the top, leaving at least an inch of stalk at the end, with the roots intact. Place this bit in a cup, add water to cover about half the stalk, put it in a sunny window, and soon you will have more greens shooting up. You can also use toothpicks to suspend the cutting in water, as you would with an avocado pit. Once the top part has started to show new growth of two to three inches, you can plant it out in the garden. Alternatively, keep it in the water to continue growing and harvest straight from your windowsill! How to Grow Leeks prefer rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They need a minimum of eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Many varieties require a long growing period of 120 to 150 days, but newer cultivars may require as few as 90 days to mature. With a shallow root system, leeks need about an inch of water per week, so track your local precipitation rates and irrigate if it doesn’t rain. Mulch the growing area well. The white part of the leek is the most desirable for cooking and eating, being tender and less fibrous than the green. Therefore, gardeners often hill the dirt around the shaft to prevent that part of the plant from making chlorophyll and turning green. Alternatively, you can fashion a sheath out of cardboard or other porous material to wrap around the stalk as it grows. It needs to be opaque but still allow for some airflow, otherwise the leek may start to rot. About midway through the growing season, side dress the growing area about six inches away from the plants with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 NPK mix at a rate of one cup for 10 feet of row. Leeks are highly tolerant of cold. Depending on the variety, they can take temperatures down to 5°F or so, and a frost or two is said to improve their flavor. But you definitely want to pull them before the ground freezes. If you live in a place where you can overwinter leeks, consider that they will probably bolt in spring if they’ve been exposed to frosts and then the weather warms up. If it’s their second year of life, they’ll bolt regardless, being biennial. So pull them before the weather gets too warm, or let a few bolt for seed saving purposes. The round purple, lavender, or pink flowers are quite attractive, and after they go to seed, you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year. To do this, pluck the pods when they start to crack open. Place them in paper bags to dry, then shake the bags to separate the seeds from the chaff. If you store the seeds in a cool, dry place, they should remain viable for up to three years. You can eat the leeks after they bolt, but they’re not very good. Cultivars to Select As referenced throughout this article, a number of leek cultivars are available, all with various enticing qualities. American Flag This heirloom variety is hardy and will overwinter in mild climates. ‘American Flag’ grows to 20 inches tall and 1.5-2 inches thick. It has thick, blue-green leaves. ‘American Flag’ ‘American Flag’ matures in 130 days. Find seeds in a variety of quantities from Eden Brothers. Early Giant Good for planting in early spring, ‘Early Giant’ has a shorter maturation period of 98 days. This heirloom variety is known for its consistent size and great flavor. ‘Early Giant’ Eden Brothers sells a number of quantities of seeds of this variety. Autumn Giant Leek This tall heirloom grows as tall as 30 inches, with stalks that can reach three inches wide at maturity. ‘Autumn Giant’ is ready to harvest in 135 to 150 days. ‘Autumn Giant’ Get packages of about 50 seeds from Frozen Seed Capsules via Amazon. Lancelot This adaptable hybrid grows a 12- to 14-inch white shafts with dark blue-green flags. ‘Lancelot’ grows well in many zones, and matures in 75 days. ‘Lancelot’ Packages of 72 seedlings of this cultivar are available from Burpee. Pests and Disease Leeks, unfortunately, are impacted by a few insects and several types of fungi. Insects Keep an eye out for these insect pests: Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.) These tiny, 1/8-inch flies are generally yellow, dark gray, or black, or a combination thereof. They leave thin, white, winding trails on leaves. You might also see white blotches on leaves. The fly lays its eggs in the leaf, and the larvae feed on the leaf’s interior. Use neem oil to get rid of these pests. Find more tips on leafminer control here. Onion Maggots (Delia antiqua) The tiny white larvae of this quarter-inch gray fly emerge from eggs laid on leek leaves or in the soil, and then bore into the plant. They grow to about half an inch long, using their feeding hooks to tear up the plant. This is damaging in and of itself, and the damaged plants are also more susceptible to other pathogens, such as bacteria. Leaves of affected plants turn yellow and the stalk rots. Prevention – such as through crop rotation – is the best way to prevent an infestation. One a plant is impacted, it must be dug up and destroyed. Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Yellow or black dots on plants may be a symptom of thrips. Another sign is leaves that turn silver or gray, or leaves that twist and die. Thrips are small winged insects that damage plants by sucking fluids out. Control them with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or spinosa, a biological pesticide. Read more about thrip identification and control here. Disease Leeks may be plagued by a number of types of fungi, all of which can be treated with a commercial fungicide. Good airflow and proper planting techniques and watering practices, as well as diligently ridding the beds of errant weeds, can help to protect your plants. Here are the primary culprits: Rust (Phragmidium spp.) Rust is a fungal disease that presents as orange pustules on leaves. Botrytis Leaf Blight (Botrytis squamosa) This fungus is characterized by small white lesions ringed in light green. Damping Off (Fusarium spp.) Seedlings that grow slowly and then wilt and die may be a sign of damping off. Root tips of affected plants may be tan, yellow, black, or pink. Learn more about this disease here. Downy Mildew (Peronospora parasitica) Purplish-gray fuzzy growth on leaf surfaces may be a sign of downy mildew. You may see pale spots on leaves, followed by widespread leaf yellowing and collapsed leaf tips. Pink Root (Phoma terrestris) Stunted plants with undersized shafts may be a sign of pink root, which also causes roots to turn light pink and then darken to purple. The roots may be transparent and water-soaked. Purple Blotch (Alternaria porri) Purple blotch presents on the flag or stalk with small, water-soaked lesions with white centers. These blotches enlarge and become brown or purple, with yellow edges. Foliage may die. White Rot (Sclerotinia cepivorum) White rot can stunt growth, causing yellowing of leaves, and eventual death of all foliage. You may see a fluffy white growth at the base of the plant. Harvesting Most leek varieties are fully developed when the stems grow to be a minimum of one inch in width. Some smaller varieties, however, mature at one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Check your seed packets so you know what to look for. A good quality leek should have a firm, white shaft that’s more than three inches long. Leeks can be harvested whenever they’ve reached their desired size. Leek tops do not die back as the plant matures, unlike with onions and shallots, so you can’t rely on that marker. Simply twist and – gently – pull leeks to harvest them. Or you can dig around them if the soil is dry, and lift them up. You can trim flags to a more manageable length for storage, if you like. See our guide to how to harvest leeks for seven expert tips. Preserving Store leeks in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator; they’ll stay fresh for about a week. In really cold areas, there’s a longer-term storage option: After harvest, leave the roots attached, but cut the flag back to about an inch. Place stems root-end down in a box and fill it with sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. Keep the packing moist, but not waterlogged, and store in a cool place, where they will keep for about eight weeks. You can freeze these veggies too. Wash them thoroughly (more on this shortly), slice them, and blanch for one minute in boiling water. Blanching helps vegetables to retain their color and nutrients, and it destroys enzymes that can cause spoilage. Drain the blanched slices, dry them, and place them in zip-top plastic freezer bags for storage. They should keep for three to four months. It’s Smelling a Bit Strong in Here Most gardeners who’ve grown leeks consider them to be fairly easy to grow. As long as you give them nutritious soil, some fertilizer, and sufficient water, they should do well in your garden. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for pests and fungi. If you’re not terribly familiar with leeks as an ingredient in your cooking, try expanding your kitchen repertoire with this delicious allium. What better way to do that is there than by growing your own? Are you an experienced leek grower? Please share your wisdom in the comments below. While we’re exploring the alliums, why not check out a few onion articles? Give these a read next: Photos by Fanny Slater and Raquel Smith © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published December 3rd, 2019. Last updated January 19th, 2025. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, Seeds4planting, and Amazon. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link