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Introduction: Homegrown leeks are so much better
The quality of home-grown leeks, grown with plenty of compost, organic matter, and humus, is like comparing the Champions League to amateur football in the D division. Similar, yet incomparable. You can prepare young leeks like asparagus sautéed in sizzling butter. The delicious white stems of mature leeks are delicious stewed, and the blue-green part of the leek plant adds flavor to any vegetable broth or soup. Growing leeks is easy. You can sow leeks intermittently from January to April and harvest leek plants from late August throughout the winter until February.
Like most other vegetables, you'll harvest better, more beautiful leeks in a sunny location with soil rich in organic matter, compost, and humus. Here are some basic principles of leek growing.
1. Growing leeks is not quite Vivaldi, barely three seasons
You can grow leeks in three different crops: summer, autumn, and winter leeks. Pre-cultivating leek plants (from seed to transplant) takes 80 to 90 days for all crops. For a good cultivation schedule, it's important to know that the growth period after planting varies greatly. Summer leeks are ready in 80 to 100 days, autumn leeks take 80-180 days, and winter leeks will remain in your vegetable garden for 180-300 days. Leeks are closely related to the onion species (allium), and let's face it, the smell of a freshly cut leek... does indeed resemble an onion. And sometimes, when you're cleaning leeks, you suddenly become emotional and tears well up in your eyes.
Winter leek overwinters in the snow
2. Growing Leeks for Highly Nutritious Meals
Here is a brief summary of the nutritional values in 100 grams of leek:
- 130 kilojoules
- 2 g protein
- 0.3 g fat
- 5 g carbohydrates
- 250 mg potassium
- 5 mg sodium
- 60 mg calcium
- 1 mg iron
- 30 mg phosphorus
The vitamin and nutrient levels vary greatly between the white and green parts of the leek, with the green parts containing the most vitamins. So don't throw them away in the kitchen; use them in a hearty soup. Mmm, delicious to drink while taking a break from gardening. You'll be ready to go again in no time.
3. Growing leeks – Which varieties do I choose?
The varieties can be classified as summer leeks , with a light green body, a relatively long white stem, and a soft texture. This makes them quick to use, as they don't tolerate autumn weather well. Examples include Swiss Giants and Bulgarian Giants. The latter is best eaten immediately, as it deteriorates quickly in autumn. Bulgarian Giants are, in some cases, slightly more susceptible to viruses, but they are less susceptible to thrips.
Generally, Autumn Giant varieties are used and recommended. Autumn leeks have a relatively short to moderately long stem, and the leaves are broad, grayish-green, and thick. The autumn variety is the Blue-Green Autumn , which also has an upright leaf position and is less susceptible to disease.
And lastly, there's the winter leek , with dark gray-green leaves that aren't too wide. It has moderate thickness and a short stem, but is also quite hardy. For winter leeks, the Blue-Green Winter is best.
