Leeks are not as common as common onions. bow... Nevertheless, in terms of its useful properties, it is in no way inferior to its "relative". This onion is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this, it is gaining more and more popularity. Growing leeks is not an easy task. This culture has special needs. Of course, it is possible to create favorable conditions. To do this, you need to know what exactly leeks need and how to grow it correctly. It is also worth figuring out how the leek is fed so that it grows well and does not get sick.
Characteristics of leeks
This culture came to us from the Mediterranean coast. Leeks are a member of the lily family. In ancient times, it was actively cultivated in Africa, Greece and Rome. In Russia, this onion is grown in all regions, but most often only in the suburbs.
Both the leek leaves and the stem are eaten. This onion contains about 12% carbohydrates and up to 2% protein. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals. During storage of leeks, the amount of vitamin C in it only increases. It retains its freshness and flavor well in winter.
It is useful for metabolic disorders and kidney stones. This onion has the ability to increase appetite, has a beneficial effect on the process of food digestion, and is used as a diuretic.
The stem is about 15–55 cm high and about 5 cm thick in the bulb. The next year, the onion forms a flower, and then seeds appear on it. The inflorescence of this culture is a spherical umbrella. Leek flowers are light lilac or white in color. There is a pleasant aroma. The advantage of leeks is that they can germinate even at very low temperatures (about +5 ° C). But still, onions rather grow in warm climates. For normal growth, about +15 ° C is enough for him.
The most important thing for this crop is moist and fertile soil. Leeks respond well to the introduction of minerals, as well as watering. Loamy soil with a neutral acidity level is best suited for growing it. Soils that are too loose, acidic or heavy are not suitable for growing this onion.
Leek care
Plant leek seedlings start in April. Before planting, the roots and leaves of the onion are cut off so that it takes root better. Seedlings should be planted to a depth of about 5 cm, while deepening the leaves. It is necessary to leave at least 45 cm between the rows of onions, and about 15 cm between the onions themselves. For long-term storage and use of leeks, planting should be started in early spring in the fall. But you can plant onions throughout the summer. Young fresh plants will arrive in time by autumn. Onions can be eaten immediately or left for the second year. Leeks survive well under the snow. True, in severe frost and without a thick snow layer, plants will not be able to survive. Leaving the onion for the winter, it will be possible to harvest in May. The seedlings grow very slowly immediately after planting. And all care is to water and loosen the garden in a timely manner.
Basic leek care is not difficult. But at the same time, all these rules must be followed with precision. Most attention will have to be paid to the bow at the very beginning of growth.The main condition for good growth of leeks is the absence of weeds in the garden. They should be permanently removed.
Drying of the soil is also contraindicated for leeks. It should always be slightly damp. Throughout the growth of the plant, it is necessary to constantly spud the onion. This is the only way to get delicate white onions. After that, you should immediately mulch the soil. If we talk about mulch, then you can use:
- chopped straw;
- dry manure;
- hay or straw.
Leeks are able to grow even after being harvested and placed in a cellar. But for this he needs good nutrition throughout the growing season. You can start feeding immediately after the onion has reached about 20 cm in height.
To do this, you can use the following mixture:
- half a liter of mullein;
- five liters of water.
With this solution, it is necessary to water the aisles.
Such nutritious watering is performed on not very fertile soils. If the soil was fertilized before planting the onions, then nettle infusions should be used instead of the mullein.
You have already realized that leeks are very moisture-loving, so watering should be abundant. During intensive formation of green mass, it is necessary to increase the amount of water for irrigation. It is important to ensure that the soil never dries out, but at the same time is not wet. Harvesting should be carried out in late autumn, and it is possible in winter, if there is no severe frost.
Also, caring for leeks includes regular weeding, feeding and prevention of diseases. You need to loosen the soil often, about once every 2 weeks. It is also important not to forget to regularly spud the onion. Water the leeks every 4–5 days, depending on weather conditions. The first couple of days after planting the onion, you cannot water it. For each square meter of the garden bed, you will need about 10-14 liters of water.
In order to extend the shelf life of the onion, it must be harvested several days before the onset of frost. This is the best time to transport the onions to storage. Further, it is slightly dried from excess moisture and the roots are cut off. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the scales of the bulb. Then you should cut off the hanging parts of the leaves. It is also necessary to ensure that soil particles do not fall into the spaces between the leaves.
Feeding leeks
For the whole season, it is necessary to carry out 3 or 4 feeding of leeks. The first feeding is carried out 3 weeks after planting. To do this, use the following solution:
- 5 liters of water.
- 10 grams of ammonium nitrate.
- 7-8 grams of potassium salt.
Watering with this fertilizer is carried out as usual, only between rows. This amount of fertilizer should be enough for 2m2... Also, onions respond well to feeding with a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1/10 and bird droppings 1/20.
Such feeding will protect the plants from fungus.
Pests and diseases
One of the dangerous diseases of leeks is mosaic... This is a viral disease that aphids carry. The virus manifests itself in yellow spots on the leaves of the plant. Such a bow lags behind in growth and does not have a very presentable appearance. Unfortunately, this disease is incurable. The affected bow is simply destroyed. To protect plants from damage by mosaics, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of agricultural technology when growing leeks. In this case, you can use products that will repel aphids and ticks. It is also advised to plant onion seeds that are at least 2 years old. By doing so, the likelihood of mosaic infestation is reduced.The fact is that after lying down for such a time, many viruses die, including the mosaic.
The next common disease in leeks is rust and powdery mildew... These are fungal diseases that can occur when water stagnates in the soil. When infected with powdery mildew, the plants are covered with oval-shaped spots. Such onions are unsuitable for human consumption. Rust is recognized by the characteristic yellow fungal pads that cover the leaves. In the future, these pads turn black, after which the onion leaves lose their strength and dry out. Immediately after the first signs of rust damage appear, diseased plants must be removed immediately. Healthy onions should be treated with a solution of copper oxychloride and phytosporin. It is very difficult to prevent the onset of the disease. But you can significantly increase the stability of the onion by following the rules of care and carrying out the necessary feeding.
The pest of leeks is onion fly, which can completely destroy the crop by its actions. This pest appears in May and immediately begins to lay eggs on onion leaves and in the soil. After a few days, larvae emerge from them. They actively eat the leek from the inside, which causes it to rot. To protect the leeks from onion flies, sprinkle wood ash on the garden bed. Tobacco dust or a mixture of ash and dust is also great. You can scare off onion flies with ground black pepper.
Alternatively, you can prepare a special tobacco infusion to combat onion flies:
- 5 liters of water;
- 1 teaspoon liquid soap
- 200 grams of tobacco.
All components are mixed and left for a couple of hours to infuse the solution. Then it must be filtered and you can start watering the garden. The onion fly does not like celery. So some gardeners deliberately plant this plant between the leeks to scare her away.
In addition to these diseases, leeks are often affected by black mold, fusarium, cervical rot.
Conclusion
As you can see, it will take patience and effort to grow leeks in your garden. This crop will only grow in moist soil with high fertility rates. To protect it from pests and diseases, it is necessary to regularly carry out feeding and preventive procedures. But, having done all this, you will get a very useful homemade onion, which will give you the necessary vitamins all winter.
