Unique Content Article: Growing Leeks Brings Freshness To The Table

Growing Leeks Brings Freshness To The Table

by Susan Morgan

Growing leeks requires planning with temperature the prime consideration. Comparable to the onion and garlic family of botanics, premiere product is rendered with early planting in cool temperatures, rich composted soil and moisture saturation. The alliaceae family does not tolerate high heat or freezing cold. Seeds are best tended indoors and timely transplantation in accordance with seasonal cool temperatures.

Acquiring the finesse to manage the correct temperature variances is critical with seedlings. Avoidance of both extremes of heat or freezing is mandatory for survival. Southern climates allow fall planting with mulch for a spring crop. Northern climates encourage best growth when planted in the spring for a fall crop. The fullest flavor is achieved through planting with hilled soil at stem level that produces a blanched, white stalk with continuous mounding of rich compost at the stalks on a gradual basis.

Leeks, like shallots, are tuberous vegetables that are grown from seeds rather than the similar onion and garlic family members, grown from bulbs. The subtle flavor and tender texture of the plants are rich with iron, B6 and vitamin C, folic acid and fiber, for a nutritional yet low-calorie feast. Both the stalk and leaves add health to a variety of gourmet dishes.

Planting in the garden is safest when the seedling stems are pencil sized. Insuring adequate space for optimal growth is in placing plants 4 to 6" apart in rows that are separated with at least 10" between the lines. Adequate depth is measured at 6" in rich loam covering the stem to the level of the first leaf. The remaining ground opening should be free of dirt, with gradual soil added in mounds around the stem. This technique creates blanched, tender stalks with enhanced flavor. Onions, carrots and celery are a good choice for similar nearby neighbors.

Although the grocery store leeks are usually large, it is difficult to deny the appeal of direct from the garden freshness at the table. Techniques such as maintaining gradual hilling of the soil at the stalk level for blanching, encourages tender, flavor-enhanced vegetation. The practice of wrapping each stalk in parchment is unnecessary to achieve prize-winning stature in this vegetable. Cutting the top segment of the leaves encourages greater sized leeks ready for harvest after ten-weeks.

Gardening does not require herculean efforts, just weeding while the plants are small and maintaining hilled soil at the stems for tender, white stalks. This plant seldom experiences damage through disease or insect infestations with plant rotation. Harvesting is accomplished when stalks reach diameters of 1" or larger.

At harvest, the plants will require some attention in removing the soil from the leaves that the mounding process created. Allowing the harvested plants to soak in a water-filled pan will see most of the debris floating off of the leaves. The remainder of any accumulation can easily be rinsed free of the leaves.

The freshness of the garden is ready for the table with either air-tight bags holding the produce in the refrigerator for at least a week or by ice baths prior to freezing. Ice submersion halts ripening and prohibits spoiling. Growing leeks supplies an abundance of year-round peak of the season ripeness on the table.

Susan Morgan loves writing about vegetable gardening and home gardens. If you enjoyed this writeup, be sure to read this on how to <a href="http://homevegetables.livejournal.com/1321.html">grow leeks</a>.

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New Unique Article!

Title: Growing Leeks Brings Freshness To The Table
Author: Susan Morgan
Email: articles@second-quest.net
Keywords: growing leeks,grow leeks,vegetable gardening,gardening,hobbies,home,home improvement,plants,health,food
Word Count: 528
Category: Hobbies
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