Leeks: when to plant seedlings, cultivation and care

Many summer residents eventually get tired of “ordinary” garden crops and want to grow something unusual, but at the same time, useful on their plot.
In this case, they need to pay attention to leeks. Dear readers!
For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format! This is a variety of ordinary onion with an unusual taste and many beneficial properties.

Leeks can be grown either as seedlings or directly sown in open ground. This culture is easy to care for and does not require any special knowledge.

However, a beginner may have some questions about growing seedlings.

We will talk about them in today's article.

Botanical description of the leek variety

The main distinctive feature of leek (Allium porrum) is the absence of the usual bulb and flat sword-shaped leaves about 0.3 - 0.7 m in height. Outwardly, they look more like garlic, but are not so pointed and more meaty.

The color of the feathers varies in shade - from light to dark green. You can often notice a bluish tint. The false stem is white, approximately 10–30 cm.

In cultivation, leeks live for 2 years. It blooms only in the 2nd year, forming an arrow with a spherical inflorescence. Flowering occurs in the second half of summer.

However, this vegetable is usually grown for only one year, since in the second year the plant loses most of its qualities for which it is valued (medicinal properties and unusual taste).

THIS IS INTERESTING. Another name for this variety is pearl onion.

Onion without bulb

Leeks (or pearl onions) are a biennial herbaceous plant, a close relative of onions.

But, unlike its brother, the leek does not have such a large bulb; its long leaves and flexible stem are used for food.

Leeks are simply gigantic vegetables; their strong, strap-like leaves can rise almost a meter above the garden bed.

Near the ground they are connected into a bundle and go into the depths. If we dig up the ground, we will see there a thickened false stem, or “white leg,” of the purest pearly white color.

This “white leg” is the main edible part of the plant, the most valuable part.

Leeks begin to form a powerful root system in the first year of life, and simultaneously with the development of roots, they grow a whole fan of flat, long leaves.

This culture also has a bulb, but it is small in size, sometimes it is not there at all.

Another characteristic feature of leeks is that they do not have a dormant period and produce new leaves until late autumn without stopping growth.

In the second year after planting, the onion forms a flower-bearing arrow. In mid-summer, many buds appear on this arrow, which soon turn into fragrant whitish, pinkish or purple flowers.

Bumblebees, bees and other flower flies flock to this aroma in large numbers.

Onion honey has an amazing emerald color and does not crystallize in honeycombs for a long time.

By the end of September, leek seeds ripen, which resemble strong faceted grains of charcoal.

If you want to stock up on your own leek seeds, then cut off the seed umbels, tie them in bunches and hang them for ripening (until the seeds are completely ripe).

Algorithm for sowing seeds step by step

• Step 1. Purchase seeds, seedling containers and soil.
• Step 2. Disinfect the planting containers with a solution of potassium permanganate.
• Step 3: Make drainage holes.
• Step 4. Prepare the seeds for sowing.
• Step 5. Pour soil into planting containers.
• Step 6. Make grooves. Depth – 15 mm, distance between grooves – 50 mm.
• Step 7. Place the seeds in the grooves at a distance of 50 mm from each other.
• Step 8. Gently sprinkle with soil.
• Step 9. Use a syringe or spray from a spray bottle.
• Step 10. Place the container with beans in a plastic bag or wrap it with film.
• Step 11: Place in a warm and dark place.
• Step 12. Periodically ventilate and moisten the soil.

Growing rules

To grow leeks in one season, you must first plant seeds for seedlings at home. And then transfer the grown seedlings to the garden bed.

Selection of soil and seeds

For rapid germination, loose soil is chosen. Use a ready-made mixture (any ready-made soil for peppers, tomatoes or eggplants) or prepare it yourself.

To obtain high-quality soil, mix 1 part peat and garden soil and 2 parts humus. Immediately before planting, the soil is disinfected. For such purposes, use a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.

On a note!

The most convenient option for planting is peat pots. 1 seed is planted in them. Then they are planted in the garden along with the soil.

The seeds are also pre-prepared. They are pre-soaked for a day in warm water to speed up the germination process. You can pickle the seeds in a solution of Fitosporin to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Landing rules

The containers are filled with soil, small beards are made (no more than 1-1.5 cm in depth). The seeds are placed at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other. Sprinkle a thin layer of soil on top, and then sprinkle with sand (about 5 mm).

The plantings are thoroughly watered and then covered with glass or plastic film. Before the first shoots appear, the containers are placed in a warm room with a temperature of +21-25 °C.

If peat tablets are used for planting, for high germination, plant not 1, but 2-3 seeds. If all rise, the weak ones are removed.

How to determine sowing time?

Sowing seeds
Depending on the region, the timing of sowing leek seeds for seedlings varies significantly. The second factor that determines planting time is the variety. Late-ripening ones should be planted earlier, as their growing season lasts longer.

The average growing season for this vegetable is approximately 200 days from the time of sowing. Thus, it is easy to calculate the approximate time for planting seed material:

• If you replant onions in mid-June, then sowing the seeds must be done in April.
• To replant during the May holidays, planting must be done on the 20th of March.
• To get a later harvest, planting material begins to be prepared in late February - early March.

Factors influencing leek planting

In addition to the influence of the lunar calendar, other changes occur that provide certain timing for planting seedlings of vegetable crops, including leeks, in different regions. This is worth taking into account when you need to plant onions in 2022.

• Moon phases.
• Climatic conditions.
• Air and soil humidity. Excess or lack of nutrition.
• Warming up mail and its structure.
• Illumination of the garden.
• Predominant winds on the site, whether it is closed from them.
• Properties of the selected variety.

Climatic factors sometimes play a decisive role, since, for example, during prolonged rains, it makes no sense to replant anything in the soil; the plant may die with intensive watering. We have to postpone planting on the site.

Bad days

The lunar calendar says that leek seeds should not be planted on new and full moon days.

In 2022, these lunar phases fell on the following dates:

In January – 1, 2, 3, 18

In February – 1, 2, 16

In March – 1, 2, 3, 18

In April – 1, 2, 16, 29, 30

In May – 16, 29, 30, 31

Is it possible to plant leeks on a waxing moon?

What’s convenient about growing leeks is that you can sow them not only on the waning moon, like other root crops, but also on the waxing one. In this case, summer residents are guided by the rule that any seeds must be sown precisely on the waxing moon.

Thus, in the lunar calendar, only the days of the new moon and full moon remain unlucky.

In any case, no matter what lunar phase you choose, follow the rules of agricultural technology. This is the most important thing when sowing onion seeds.

How to plant leek seeds in a snail

Let's look at options for planting this wonderful and useful plant. The method of planting leek seedlings in a snail is very interesting. This method has many advantages. Here are just a few of them: the seedlings are strong, the root system is not damaged during transplantation, and what a space saver! There are different opinions about who is the author of this method, as well as different ways to use snails. I will show you the most interesting option for planting onion seeds.

So, first you need to make a snail. Take a material that is used as a backing under laminate and is sold in any building material.

But not all substrates are suitable, the best is no more than 2mm thick, the color does not matter.

Do not use foil materials. Choose the length based on your needs.

Cut the ribbon 15cm wide. Place it on the table, pour about 2-3cm thick earth along the entire length and carefully roll the tape into a roll. It is convenient to use a device for twisting. Attach plastic corners, which are used in apartment renovations, to one strip of laminate, or to any wide board. You can also buy them at a hardware store.

Place the backing between the corners, add soil and roll up the roll.

To prevent the snail from unfolding, you can glue the ends with tape.

Now let's move on to preparing the onion seeds. Dilute HB-101 at the rate of two drops per liter of water and soak leek seeds for exactly one day.

After a day, remove them from the solution and place them in a small jar, at the bottom of which first place a napkin soaked in the HB-101 solution for soaking the seeds.

When the first small sprouts from the seeds appear, proceed to planting them. Place fine drainage, such as vermiculite, in the bottom of a garden container, add a few granules of horse manure and place a vertically rolled snail roll on top of it. Remove the soil from the snail from the top edge to a depth of about 3cm. Never use chicken manure.

Dilute the phytosporin solution according to the instructions and pour the soil well.

Let the water soak.

Scatter the seeds on the ground into the snail; a little thickening will only benefit the onion.

Sprinkle the seeds with soil on top

and cover the top with a bag. It is convenient to use medical shoe covers for this.

Don't water with anything else. When the first shoots appear, remove the bag and place the snail under a lamp or closer to the light. All. Good luck with your shoots.

When to plant depending on the region?

Climate is critical in determining when to plant seedlings. This happens for the following reason.

Leek seedlings can be transplanted at the age of 50 - 60 days. Accordingly, by this moment the weather should already be good outside the window. Please note that planting should not be done on the first sunny and warm day, but when the threat of morning frosts has passed, the soil has warmed up and the sun will sufficiently warm the air throughout the day.

• In the Caucasus, Crimean Peninsula, Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory, seeds are sown already in the last ten days of February.
• In the Central Black Earth region, sowing is carried out in the first days of spring.
• In the Middle Zone, the capital region and the Volga region, the planting date is May 10–20.
• In the Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod provinces , in the Republic of Karelia leeks can be sown in late March - early April.
• In the Urals, Far East and Siberia, seedlings begin to be cultivated late, in early April.

ON A NOTE. If seedlings are transplanted into a greenhouse, then preparing planting material can begin 7 to 10 days earlier.

Vegetable ripening time

You may be interested in: Dates for planting leeks for seedlings in 2022 throughout Russia Dates for planting onion sets in 2022 for feathers and turnips in different regions of Russia Harvesting onions according to the lunar calendar 2022 in Siberia The harvest time depends on several factors.
The first is varietal characteristics. Early ripening varieties are removed from the ground in mid-August or early September. Traditional onions remain in the ground until mid-September. Late-maturing varieties developed for cold climate regions should not emerge from the soil until mid-October. Botanists make a disclaimer. The “plus” of early ripening varieties is the ability to get a harvest faster. The fly in the ointment is the fact that early ripening varieties have a minimum shelf life. Climatic features of the region and soil characteristics are the second factor influencing the timing of vegetable ripening:

• soil acidity;
• strong wind;
• drought;
• frost;
• humidity level and so on.

Regardless of the chosen variety, leeks are harvested before the onset of full-fledged cold weather. Focus on the temperature background. As soon as the thermometer drops below minus 10-12 °C, the vegetable is removed from the ground.

On a note!

If a gardener wants to dig up root crops in July or August, then the onions are planted more densely than necessary.

How to care for leek seedlings, any tricks?

After the first shoots appear, the seedlings need to be provided with appropriate care, which includes appropriate maintenance conditions and proper care.

The onion seeds have sprouted, what to do next?

Onion seedlings
First of all, the onion should be provided with the necessary conditions:

• Light . Onions need UV rays 12 hours a day. Use phytolamps.
• Temperature . Should be slightly below room temperature. During the day – 18 degrees, at night – 14 degrees.
• Watering . Regularly as the soil dries out. The water should be warm and settled.
• Humidity . Above average. If the climate is too dry, spray.

How to feed onion seedlings?

Unlike other seedlings, leeks prefer organic fertilizers. The most effective is bird droppings, which are diluted in water in a ratio of 1:20.

The first feeding is carried out 15 days after the first shoots hatch. Subsequent feeding schedule: 2 times in 30 days. The last time fertilizer is applied is a week before transplanting. By the way, this is exactly when the hardening procedure begins.

How to pick onion seedlings?

Picking will have to be done if you planted the seedlings in a common box. Picking is necessary to thin out the plantings, otherwise the plants will not have room to grow.

You need to carefully pry the leeks using a popsicle stick or similar tool. First you need to moisten the soil with water. Then the desired seedling is carefully lifted with a stick and removed along with a lump of earth. Then it is transferred to a new container.

ON A NOTE. After picking, you can add fertilizer or a growth stimulant to help the plants take root in the new location.

Do I need to harden off onion seedlings?

Hardening is an important procedure that allows onions to survive transplantation into open ground. It is carried out 1 - 2 weeks before planting in a permanent place.

First of all, you should reduce watering. Then place the boxes with seedlings outside and gradually increase the period of time the seedlings stay in the open air.

The best conditions for leek growth

Leek is not a very fastidious plant. It grows well in different climates and weather conditions, but develops more slowly in cold and rainy summers. In order for the leek harvest to be good, it is necessary to provide it with optimal conditions.

If the conditions are correct and the temperature is optimal, the first shoots will appear in about 1-2 weeks. Leek crops need to be fertilized periodically.

It is worth remembering that planting onions too densely is unacceptable, and thinning should be done so that the plants can fully develop.

Is it possible to immediately sow seeds in open ground?

Leek is one of the crops that can be grown without seedlings. But you need to be aware that in this case the yield will be noticeably lower than when grown by seedlings.

Sowing in open ground is carried out in the first ten days of April, but only if there are no morning frosts. That is, this method is not suitable for the Urals, Siberia and the Leningrad region. You need to sow late-ripening varieties that will ripen in the fall.

REFERENCE. Also, this type of onion can be planted before winter, just like garlic.

Unfavorable days

When choosing the date when you can start sowing leeks, you should take into account not only favorable days, but also unfavorable ones.

Attention!

You can not adhere to this rule and still plant seeds for seedlings, but you should not expect that the plants will fully grow and develop, which means they will not produce a large harvest.

But at the same time, on unfavorable days, you can carry out other manipulations with the plants, for example, watering, destroying weeds, and weeding.

When to plant seedlings in open ground?

Planting in open ground
It is believed that leek seedlings are most ready for transplanting to a permanent place 50 - 60 days after germination. Depending on the region and variety, planting is carried out in May or June.

• For the coldest regions of our country, transplantation is best done in the tenth day of June.
• For warmer regions (Black Earth Region, Kuban, Crimea and Caucasus) - in early May.
• For Moscow, the Volga region and the Middle Zone - in mid-May - early June.

Seedling care

Caring for seedlings does not require special skills, however, they should not be neglected to avoid complications in the future:

• when sprouts appear from under the ground, remove the lid or plastic and transfer the plants to the light, maintaining the temperature within +15 +17 degrees during the day, +12 degrees at night;
• so that arrows do not appear, after 7-10 days, the temperature is equalized, setting it at +18 +20 degrees both day and night;
• to prevent washing away of fragile roots, watering is carried out exclusively along the edges of the cell;
• the frequency of moistening depends on the rate of drying of the soil substrate; the top layer must be maintained in a moderately moist state;
• daylight should last at least 10 hours a day, so on cloudy days additional lighting is used; soil is added as needed;
• 14 days after emergence, fertilize: 3-5 g of potassium nitrate + 5-10 g of superphosphate are dissolved in 5 liters of water;
• so that the onion develops more actively, and the seedlings themselves do not fall under the weight of the feathers, it is recommended to shorten them to a height of first 6 cm, then 15 cm;
• 14 days before transfer to open ground, hardening begins by opening the window in the morning and evening for 1-2 hours.

How to get nigella from leeks?

Despite the fact that leeks are a 2-year-old plant, they are usually used in the first year of cultivation. Some plants are left to overwinter in order to collect seed material next year.

Therefore, to get nigella, the plant needs to overwinter.

To do this, leave a few plants in the garden bed. There is no need for a transplant. In the fall, cut off all the leaves. When the time comes for the first night frosts, cover the plants with dry grass, spunbond, or simply sprinkle with soil.

Next year the bow will shoot. There is no need to cut it. Wait until it blooms (this will happen in the second half of July - August). To avoid losing the seeds, pull a fabric bag over the inflorescence. You can use a stocking or sock the old fashioned way.

Once the onions are ripe, collect the seeds. In winter, sow them for seedlings.

Can leeks be grown as a perennial?

Leek is a biennial plant, but many summer residents in Russia prefer to grow it for only 1 year. But it is during the first year that the bulb is formed - the underground part of the fruit, which is its root.

But the next year there is already active growth of the ground part of the leek. And it is precisely this that is used in food. Therefore, this plant can and should be grown as a perennial.

Interesting Facts

Leeks have some medicinal properties. It is rich in potassium, sodium, magnesium, vitamins B and C, and also contains healthy sugars and proteins.

Pastes, gels and solutions based on leeks are used in medicine to produce nourishing and healing masks for hair and nails.

This vegetable is an important part of Mediterranean cuisine. It is used to prepare soups, salads and sauces, and is also consumed raw.

Leeks do not have a bulb in the usual sense. But the stem is more pronounced. By the way, this is the most delicious part of the vegetable.

Leeks have been known to mankind for more than 4000 years. The first mentions of it date back to the era of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

This vegetable is the symbol of Wales.

About the benefits and harms of eating leeks

Leek is a source of valuable micronutrients: potassium, iron, calcium, sulfur, as well as dietary fiber, organic acids, vitamins: A, C, K, E, PP, and group B.
Attention! The level of vitamin C contained in the white part of the leek during storage of the vegetable can increase 1.5 times.

Its use has an immunomodulatory and healing effect on the entire body:

1. Eating leek will help normalize the hemoglobin level in the blood, because the vegetable is rich in iron compounds and vitamin C, which promotes its absorption. In addition, leek has a positive effect on blood clotting and strengthening bone mass.
2. Low calorie content - only 33 kcal allows you to include it in the diet for obesity.
3. Including leek in the diet will be very useful for pregnant women and women planning to conceive, since it can replenish the body with folic acid, which is vital for the normal development of the fetus.
4. Folic acid, contained in leek in a bioactive form, has a preventive effect on the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
5. The presence of phytoncides and essential oils makes the use of leek, along with regular onions and garlic, useful for colds.
6. Leek is a well-known aphrodisiac that stimulates libido.
7. The presence of potassium salts in leeks makes it an indispensable product in the diet of people suffering from edema, since it has a diuretic effect.
8. Eating leek protects against the formation of malignant tumors in the body thanks to quercetin and kesferol, substances that inhibit the development of cancer cells.
9. Coarse dietary fiber, present in all parts of the vegetable, when consumed, has a stimulating and detoxifying effect on the intestines and promotes weight loss.
10. It will be useful for heavy mental and physical stress, metabolic disorders, cystitis, decreased visual acuity, and for stimulating the outflow of bile.

Leeks are actively used in folk medicine and home cosmetology, for preparing anti-inflammatory compresses and masks for abscesses, calluses, insect bites, and hair loss.

Leeks are consumed both fresh and as part of other dishes.

The main contraindication to the use of leeks is the presence of inflammatory processes in the digestive organs and hypertension. Due to the presence of oxalates in the chemical composition of the product, use of the product should be limited to those suffering from kidney problems.

Answers to frequently asked questions

For beginners, growing seedlings often seems difficult. They often have questions about one thing or another. There is no need to be ashamed of this. Almost every summer resident had similar problems at the beginning of his activity.

What soil should I buy for growing seedlings?

To grow seedlings, the soil should be light, with a neutral pH level. You can prepare the soil yourself, but it is best to buy ready-made substrate in the store. A universal mixture or soil, which is marketed as for seedlings, is suitable.

You should not overpay money for any special specialized substrates. With a high degree of probability there will be the same soil mixture.

How can you stimulate seeds for further growth?

An experienced summer resident who has grown more than one seedling knows exactly what preparations need to be used. We advise beginners to use the most common products: Gumi, Zircon, Humate, Agricola, Epin, Energen, etc.

IMPORTANT! Follow the instructions on the package exactly and do not exceed the dosage, otherwise you may “burn” the plants. When feeding for the first time, it is recommended to completely reduce the concentration of the active substance by 2 times.

Why don't the seeds germinate?

A very common mistake is deep sowing of seeds. As a result, after 2 weeks, when the shoots should already appear, the summer resident is puzzled as to why the seeds did not sprout.

The second popular reason for this problem is the use of old planting material. If you don’t want to waste time, effort and money, use “young” seeds. Remember that a stingy person always pays twice.

The third reason that the seeds did not germinate is the lack of stratification. The seeds “sleep” and will wake up closer to warm days.

When will the seeds sprout?

If planted correctly, you will see the first shoots within a couple of weeks after sowing. The bulk of the sprouts will appear by day 20.

Why are seeds soaked?

Each seed has a dense “shell”. To germinate, the seed needs to break through this shell. Soaking softens the “shell”. In addition, after soaking, you can see which seeds are dummies.

How to harden seedlings?

An important trick that not all novice gardeners know about is hardening off seedlings. It's very easy to do.

When there are several weeks left before the expected date of transplanting the seedlings into open ground, take the boxes with seedlings out onto the balcony. First for 2 hours, then for 6, then for half a day and, finally, for the whole day. The seedlings will get used to the new conditions for themselves and by the time of planting they will already be hardened enough to endure it painlessly.

What to do if leek seedlings do not grow?

Use growth stimulants (Epin, Zircon) and move the boxes closer to sunlight.

Important growing tips

What kind of preparation is necessary before growing depends on what planting material will be used - seeds or sets. This is important, because the future harvest will depend on how correctly the sowing was approached. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of care, the timing of planting onions, soil preparation and the quality of the selected seed material.

Seed selection and preparation

Before sowing leeks, you need to process the seed material so that it germinates well. For this you will need:

• dip it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, then rinse;
• check the seeds for germination: place them in a gauze bag and immerse them in warm water (45–55 ⁰C) for 24 hours. Get rid of defective copies;
• after this stage, immediately dip them in cold water for 2 minutes - this will harden the seeds;
• In order for the seed material to swell and also speed up the germination process, you need to wrap it in a damp cloth and leave it for 1–1.5 weeks, constantly moisturizing it. After this, soak the seeds in water at room temperature and leave for 48–72 hours in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator or other cool place. Change the fluid daily - this way they quickly adapt to environmental conditions;
• drain the water after soaking, dry the seeds on a paper towel and mix with sawdust and sand.

Attention!

Seed germination can be accelerated by adding a growth stimulant to the water.

As a result of this treatment, strong seed material will be obtained, which is suitable for uniform sowing.

Requirements for containers and soil

The container for sowing leeks can be anything: plastic, wooden, ceramic. But it is most convenient to use peat pots for planting. You need to plant one seed in them, and when the time comes, plant them in the garden along with the soil. In addition, this approach will avoid diving.

Attention!

Do not use metal containers.

In this case, it is worth taking into account the length of the onion roots - the depth of the container should exceed 12 cm. Drainage holes must be made at the bottom of any container to avoid moisture stagnation.

In order for seedlings to appear quickly, the soil must be loose, with a neutral acidity level and good air permeability, since seeds will not germinate in dense soil. You can buy ready-made soil mixture or prepare it yourself. When choosing the second option you will need:

• peat;
• garden soil;
• humus.

The proportions of the components are 1: 1: 2. Before planting, the soil must be disinfected using potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.

If peat is used as the main soil, then per 5 kg you need to add:

• dolomite flour - 250 g;
• superphosphate - 50 g;
• urea - 30 g;
• potassium sulfate - 40 g.

When preparing the soil yourself, it must be disinfected: calcined in the oven or kept in a microwave oven for 1–2 minutes to destroy the larvae of parasites and pathogens.

Sowing rules

The container must be filled with soil mixture and tamped down a little. Make shallow grooves (maximum 10–15 mm), place the seeds at a distance of 4–5 cm from each other. Sprinkle the top with a thin layer of soil and sand (0.5 cm). In the case of peat tablets, you need to wet them until they swell, and then sow 2-3 seeds. If they all sprout, then the weak ones will need to be removed.

When the seeds are in the ground, you need to do the following:

1. Pour over warm water. But do this in such a way as not to erode the top layer of earth.
2. Before the seedlings peck, place the container in a shaded room at a temperature of 21–25 ⁰C.
3. Open crops every day for spraying.
4. As soon as the first shoots appear (after about 1.5 weeks), remove the covering material and move the container to a windowsill or other bright place.
5. The temperature during this period should be 17 ⁰C during the day and 12 ⁰C at night. Thanks to this approach, leek seedlings will not stretch.
6. After 7 days, move the containers to a warmer room.

Watering should be moderate to avoid stagnation of liquid. Otherwise, diseases of the root system cannot be avoided.

Aftercare

First of all, leeks need to be properly cared for.

Temperature and light

To keep seedlings healthy, you need to provide them with the necessary lighting. So, the duration of daylight hours should be at least 10–12 hours. If the seeds were planted in February-March, then additional lighting will be needed.

The temperature regime after emergence should be 17 ⁰C during the day and 14 ⁰C at night. After a week, increase these indicators to 18–20 ⁰С and 15 ⁰С. This temperature must be maintained until the seedlings are planted in the garden bed or greenhouse.

How to calculate the sowing date

To independently calculate the optimal time for planting leeks for seedlings, you need to take into account the varietal characteristics and growing season of this vegetable crop.

From the moment of sowing pearl onion seeds until the first shoots appear, 2-3 weeks usually pass. The seedlings are transplanted into garden beds at the age of 55-65 days. Accordingly, to calculate the best time for sowing seeds, you need to subtract 75-85 days from the planned transplant date.

Choosing the time to pick leeks

Gardeners cannot come to a common denominator when it comes to picking. Opponents and supporters of the procedure provide many arguments in favor of their point of view. Only one fact does not cause controversy among the warring parties. Do not confuse picking and transplanting. Picking is an agrotechnical manipulation during which leeks are transplanted from one pot to another. At the same time, the end of the root is pinched.

Transplantation is a procedure during which green spaces are transplanted, for example, from a pot into open ground. Picking is carried out in the northern regions and in areas with an unstable climate. The procedure allows the bush to direct all the nutrients it receives to the formation of root crops, rather than unproductive green mass.

On a note!

Almost all varieties of leeks react poorly to picking. If the gardener does not have sufficient experience, then it is better to abandon the procedure. Minor mistakes will lead to weakening of the seedlings’ immunity and will reduce the speed of vegetable development.

The timing of picking is chosen taking into account the characteristics of the variety. Mid-season varieties of vegetables are processed 35-40 days after planting. Late-ripening varieties ripen 50 days after planting, and early ripening varieties - 30 days later. The procedure is carried out in small pots, the diameter of which is no more than 4-5 cm. If the summer resident does not want to get involved with a rather complex procedure, then you can use the following recommendation. The seedlings are placed in peat pots. In this case, there is no need for picking.

Recommendations

The key to a good leek harvest is healthy, strong and hardy seedlings. To grow it at home, you need to follow basic agrotechnical rules.

1. For sowing seedlings, you can use any seeds - purchased at a gardening store or collected independently from a ripe harvest.
2. In the case of using store-bought encrusted or pelleted seeds, pre-sowing treatment is not necessary. It is advisable to disinfect ordinary seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides - Fitosporin, Fitolavina, Baikal EM-1.
3. Before sowing, it is advisable to soak leek seeds by wrapping them in damp gauze, napkin or cotton cloth. The grains should be left warm for 2-3 days. Instead of water for soaking, you can use solutions of stimulants Epin-Extra, Energen, Zircon, Heteroauxin, HB-101. The most fertile and high-quality seeds will hatch during the soaking process.
4. To grow leek seedlings, you can use either store-bought soil for vegetable crops or self-prepared soil. To do this you will need garden soil, humus and coarse sand. Before use, the substrate must be disinfected - poured generously with a solution of potassium permanganate, calcined in the oven, or treated with the same fungicides that were used to disinfect seeds.
5. Leek seedlings do not like picking, therefore, in order not to injure the sprouts, it is better to immediately sow the seeds into individual seedling containers - cups, pots, small containers. A prerequisite is that the height of the container is at least 10 cm and the presence of drainage holes.
6. If leek seedlings are grown in a common seedling container, at the age of 30 days they need to be planted in separate cups, containers or pots.
7. 2 weeks before the planned planting in a permanent place, leek seedlings should begin to be hardened off. This will help prepare the seedlings, strengthen their immunity and reduce the stress of transplanting. To do this, the seedling containers are taken out into fresh air and left for 30 minutes, increasing the hardening time daily and gradually bringing it up to 24 hours.
8. Grown and strengthened leek seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place in May, when they reach the age of 50-65 days. By this day, the weather should be consistently warm and the soil should warm up.

Leeks are one of the most popular, tasty and healthy vegetable crops grown in open ground and greenhouse conditions. A vegetable grower from both the central zone and the northern regions of Russia will be able to get an excellent onion harvest. To do this, you need to know all the subtleties, nuances and timing of planting pearl onions for seedlings.

Container and soil for leeks

As containers for leeks, use elastic containers with a depth of at least 6 cm or cardboard boxes for milk or yogurt. Holes are made at the bottom so that excess moisture does not stagnate in the ground, but flows out.

Leeks love nutritious soil. To prepare the soil, mix peat, turf soil, and humus (in a ratio of 1:2:1). It is useful to add wood ash to the resulting composition (500 ml per 10 liters of mixture). To disinfect the soil, it is steamed in a sterilizer (at home, you can use a tank of water and a saucepan).

Table of favorable days for planting

The timing of planting leeks depends not only on the climatic characteristics of the region and general weather conditions. Experienced gardeners also recommend taking into account changes associated with the phase of the moon. To determine a favorable date according to the lunar calendar of 2022, you can use common reference materials or a prepared table indicating the dates of the month on which leek planting will be successful:

Preparation of the lunar planting calendar includes the positions and phases of the night star, which affect the flow of sap in plants, but that’s not all. When determining the best date for planting leeks, it is necessary to additionally consider the characteristics of the regional climate and the subtleties of growing the preferred variety. If you choose the right date, the risk of seedling death is lower and the yield is good.

Unfavorable days

On the days of the full or new moon it is not recommended:

• plant and sow plants with seeds;
• replant and prick seedlings and saplings;
• water and fertilize.

It is not advisable to plant onions on days of magnetic storms - from June 1 to June 3. Dates on which solar and lunar eclipses occur - May 22, June 21 - are not suitable. Bad days for work are February 21-22, March 19-21, April 15-17, May 13-14, June 4, 6, 9-11, June 20, 22.

During the transition period, you can weed. Pest plants will grow less actively and will be weakened.

Complete care in the garden

In open ground, care is more difficult than caring for seedlings in an apartment. At first, it is recommended to cover the heat-loving plant using a frame structure consisting of arcs. We are talking about a greenhouse covered with spunbond. It is used for a week until the plant gets used to the new place and begins to grow. An alternative is a polycarbonate greenhouse. True, you will have to grow a plant in it all the time. Watering during this period is carried out extremely rarely, without worrying about drying out and lack of moisture.

After growth begins and the frame is removed, the soil is watered and fertilized. A day later, the soil around the seedlings is loosened.

During the entire growing season, it is recommended to feed three times a day, regular hilling and moderately saturated watering.

A week before harvest, watering is stopped so that the onions become strong and juicy and can be stored longer in the winter.

Complementary feeding can be done:

• the first time - at the time of landing;
• the second time - after one or two weeks, when new leaves are formed;
• the third time - in mid-July.