JANE WRIGGLESWORTH

Peak time to put in leeks

As summer stumbles along, we’re heading into winter planting time, and leeks are one crop that is best planted sooner rather than later.

While many gardeners plant them in autumn, hoping that they will fatten up in time for winter picking, they really need to be in the ground before that to ensure they put enough fat on before winter picking.

Leeks can take up to six months to mature after transplanting. Although some newer cultivars have been bred for quicker maturity – three to four months – this is often affected by temperature, available nutrients and water, so a long season is needed.

Traditionally, seedlings are planted out from December to February, with seeds sown from early spring. Plenty of seedlings are available in garden centres for planting out now.

Leeks are one of my favourite winter vegetables, used mainly for flavouring soups and casseroles, and for that hearty comfort food, leek and potato gratin.

The good thing about leeks is that they can be left in the ground until needed.

That means they cover the “hungry gap”, from late winter to early spring, where nothing much else is going on in the vegetable patch.

The plants are frost hardy too, so there’s no problem with cold snaps.

IN THE GARDEN

Leeks like a soil rich in organic matter. Dig in plenty of compost or well-aged manure a couple of weeks before planting.

Add fertiliser too. As a leafy crop, leeks benefit from one high in nitrogen, which promotes leafy growth. Aged manure is a good supply of nitrogen, especially well-rotted fowl manure. Worm castings are another excellent source of nutrients.

Position seedlings in full sun in moist but well-drained soil. If the soil is shallow or drainage is poor, plant in raised beds.

Generally, the seed is sown in trays or pots in spring then transplanted when ready. That’s because the seedlings are planted fairly deeply, more deeply than the seed would be if sown directly.

Seedlings are ready to plant out when they are pencil thickness and about 20cm high.

Using a dibber that is 5cm in diameter, poke holes in the soil 15cm deep and 15cm apart. The deep hole allows for a nice long white stem.

At this stage, some gardeners recommend trimming the roots to about 2.5cm long and snipping a couple of centimetres off the tips of the leaves. I have done this and I have also left seedlings untouched. There didn’t appear to be any difference between the two methods. I think it’s more important to get the soil nutrients and depth right.

Gently ease seedlings out of their trays, then place one in each hole. Don’t backfill the hole with soil. Just water each plant so that enough soil falls into it to cover the roots. As the leeks grow, the holes will gradually fill with soil.

Water young plants well until they become established. Feed them regularly with an organic fertiliser tea or generic liquid fertiliser.

BLANCHING STEMS

Only the white and palest green part of the leek is edible, so growers typically blanch the stems to increase the proportion that’s edible and to sweeten the taste. This process is usually started around mid-autumn or when they are nearly fully grown.

Tie a paper collar around each stem and gently hill up the earth around them. Be careful not to get soil into the stem or the centre may rot.

As the plants continue to grow, you can fit another collar above the first one and mound up more soil.

Slugs and snails may take up residence within the paper collars, so watch out for them.

HARVESTING

Leeks are generally harvested from about mid-autumn to early spring. They can, as mentioned, be left in the ground until needed.

But don’t leave them too long or they will start to produce a seedhead, which diminishes their eating quality.

Gently dig each leek out with a garden fork. If you pull the top, it’s likely to break off. Obviously, dig out the biggest ones first.

They can be harvested when the stems are about 2.5cm in diameter.

However, baby leeks are a gourmet treat, which means you can really pick them at any thickness.

COLLECTING SEED

Leeks are a biennial. Although their stems fatten up in the first year, it’s not until the second that they produce flowers and seeds.

Most of us would harvest the stems in their first season, so would never see the blooms.

But if you wish to collect seeds, leave one or two plants to grow on during a second season.

Stake the flowerheads as they form, as they tend to become top-heavy and droop.

The seeds are ready for harvesting when they are black and become visible within the dried-out flowerhead.

Snip off the seed head and pop it into a paper bag. Leave it to dry further if necessary, then shake the tightly closed bag to dislodge the seeds. Store them in cool, dry, dark conditions.

Leek seeds should be used within two to three years. After three years, they have only 50 per cent viability.

– © Fairfax NZ News

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