Leeks please and not behind the tree kind:)

[smellycat]

Here is my question.

I live in zone 4, today it feels like zone 0 if there is one.

I have read that leeks take several months to grow and since I live in such a short growing season I was wondering how soon I need to start them indoors. I do not have a greenhouse. (dang)

Here is what I know.
A long time to get them to become mature enough to eat.
Start early in the zone I live in
Lots of organic matter( compost) will help quite a bit
Acidic soil? Not sure.
Mound dirt when they come up to help with the white part of the leek.
Moderate water

Any other information would be great. Thanks everyone.

[Zephyrbird5a-6]

I dunno, smelly, I grew them very well here. I dug an 8 inch deep ditch row, planted the little baby leeks, then after three weeks filled in some dirt. Then after three more weeks, filled in some dirt, and so on, mounding them up as they kept growing. The more mounding you do, the more white you have.

I grew them for my mom, who was from France. She loved it. I found like any onion, they need water, and make sure you leave enough space between them to grow - they don't like being crowded together. I found them easy to grow, altough I didn't get those huge grocery store size ones. But hmmm hmm, they were good. Cockaleekee soup!

[plot_thickens]

read a book by this dude who grew blanched asparagus by upending a frame over his raised bed that was a mirror raised bed, only with a top so it was completely dark. Do you think that would work with leeks?

[Ohiorganic]

Start them in doors in january so they are ready to transplant in March/April (whenever your soil can be worked). leeks do not mind cold weather.

There are basically two kinds of leeks out there. the massive heirlooms that take around 120 days to get mature but can take cold down to around -20F with very little protection and can go even colder if you mulch them and put heavy row cover over top on hoops (of course you won't be able to dig them out of the frozen ground without a backhoe...:rolleyes:).

Than there are the skinny leeks that mature in around 90 days and can't take it much colder than 20F when mature (but the seedlings can take it down to around 10F with row cover or straw mulch over top of the greens)

I start both types exactly the same way. Seeds go into a 4" or 6" pot filled with soiless potting mix (I make my own but store bought will work fine), watered and than allowed to germinate. After they have germinated they go under shop lights until it is warm enough for them to go out into a cold frame than they sit there until they can be transplanted (anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks)

The fat leeks will grow well into your winter with no problems. The skinny kind will grow well until you start having hard freezes. Than either cover them up or pull them (they will last in the fridge for around 2 months)

[Grass Hopper]

Here is a link that someone gave me awhile back for onion plants that also sells leek plants. WE hve a hard time getting them started here and I thought I would give them a try. www.dixondalefarms.com

[camochef]

Smellycat,
last year I ordered leeks and onions from dixondale farms, (sets), I also started 6 other varieties from seed. the sets from dixondale (lancelot leeks) did so much better. (pictures in off topic). Dixondale will tell you when to have them delivered for best planting time by your zipcode. I trenched some, and mounded others, those that were trenched did much better, but it's harder on the body to plant in a foot deep trench. Which is why some weren't trenched.
oh, by the way, those gigantic lancelot leeks that I have pictured were just as tender and tasty as the smaller ones that were started from seed. everyone should plant leeks, like they do tomatoes, they are so great in so many recipes especially soups. wish you much success with them!
Camo
Ps: they also produce beautiful flowers if left to grow a second year, and those flowers attract benificial wasps (including those that destroy hornworms) and bees!

[flaquita]

So, here in southern texas, could I start leeks from seed now? We usually don"t get our first freeze until Jan or Feb and it is never a "hard" freeze, i.e. the ground never freezes...Would that work, if I started them from seeds now outdoors, or would in pots indoors be better?
thanks
andrea

[camochef]

So, here in southern texas, could I start leeks from seed now? We usually don"t get our first freeze until Jan or Feb and it is never a "hard" freeze, i.e. the ground never freezes...Would that work, if I started them from seeds now outdoors, or would in pots indoors be better?
thanks
andrea

I always start mine indoors in seed starting mixture (not soil), With conditions like your describing I don't see why not. Of course it was 12 degrees outside this morning, so I live in a different world!
Camo

[flaquita]

yeah, well we're freezing at 40 something......

[spud]

Smellycat,

You can't beat the info in previous posts and I'd like to add one more, besides steady water, they like good nutrition. I mulch mine t/o the year with grass clippings and leaves chopped real fine which break down quicker than coarse mulch. I put comfrey tea on mine once a week and was rewarded with some monsters. Most were about 3 inches across. My wife really enjoys cooking with them and this was my first year growing them. I'll be growing them every year. I plan on starting a couple of different varities since I just bought them from a greenhouse this year.

[Train]

Ya Cat!
No Cat. That's leak!!!
Heheh.
I start all mine from seed!
That's what you're talking about, right?
About a month ago I sowed 2 planters
with leek seed. 2 different seed types
so 2 separate containers.
I water them well, really well every morning
and leave them in the open for as much
sun as they can get.
Many are now about the thickness of a
ball point pen filler tube and perhaps
8 inches high and, they are all scrunched together.
I will begin to separate and pot individually soon.
Then soon as a bed is made ready I intend to
transplant each with it's entire root ball.
I will have tilled just a little, say about 3 inches.
The reason is I intend to plant a raised bed of
at least 30 inches around that.
Now I have something to work with and not get
all messed up. The trick is to make a very loose
loam that will resist compaction and plant in that.
Make a written recipe of the mixture you start with
so you won't shock the plants along it's growth
with different soils that may cause the leeks to malform.
Water in well, then every morning water, really well.
As noted you will add soil as the leeks gain height.
Now Camo has a system for topping those that
you will want to ask him about.
I intend to follow his lesson this year for the first time
and perhaps not have to deal with 5 foot of green
leaf all over the place.
Now, does that clear things up for you?
Prepare the bed as Blane prepares his carrot bed
and your leeks will all be giants.
Oh, and onion which is what leek is, like the ph
to be in the range of 6.0 - 8.0.
Very flexible range there. I do lime mine up
about half way through their growth period just
to get the most I can from each. (Horticultural Lime)
One last thought. I always grow onion and onion
related separately because they must not
be allowed to dry completely.
Train
http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/ll405/Da_First_Stringer/LeekStarters.jpg
To the right is another planter, same size but of lettuce.
After the lettuce is another planter of leek!
http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/ll405/Da_First_Stringer/LEEK.jpg

[roygee]

The posts above say it all. I would just like to add that leek seeds do not keep well, and it is advisable to get fresh seeds every year. I harvested mine a couple of weeks ago, the top 2 inches of the ground were already frozen. I keep them in 5 gallon buckets with the roots on, in the root cellar and they last we through the Winter. Water a bit every couple of weeks.
Roy

[Denninmi]

The pictures Camo posted a few months back of his leeks really inspired me to plant some for culinary use next year. I have tons of the darned things growing semi-feral in various spots of the garden, but I don't do much of anything to them, ever, and just let them grow as ornamentals since the giant allium head flowers they produce in July are so pretty and so attractive to pollinators.

This upcoming year, though, I'm going to order some seeds and try to grow some giant leeks like Camo's. Yours looked like telephone poles there, Camo, pretty awesome!

Dennis
SE Michigan

[smellycat]

I absoulty love this website for the wonderful folks on here that have ignored my brash start of this thread. What can I say I am imprefect.

On with it then.... I just knew I would get a wealth of information and I thank EACH AND EVERYONE of you for your advise and help. I will keep reading on this one.
Leeks are my favorite onion type and want to give them a try.

I have grown chives several onion varietes just not leeks. I am so excited now. YIPPY SKIPPY I am just needing a little dirt fix is all.

I always learn so much by reading all of your posts folks... Thanks

[Apple-Pi]

I had leeks on 07. I had high expectations but I did not like them all that much. Thats odd because I love onions of all kinds. I may not have given them what they need.(?) I may try them again next year not this coming. I am in a reconfiguring of my layout and I don't see it happening this year.

[Denninmi]

I absoulty love this website for the wonderful folks on here that have ignored my brash start of this thread. What can I say I am imprefect.

Not imprefect (well, except perhaps in your spelling:)), you just have a sense of humor. I like it.

Dennis

[Train]

Ya Cat!
You look pretty in pink!
Heheh
Train

[flaquita]

How do you make comfrey tea? I have a monster confrey plant and have used it on my horses' wounds but not for gardening. What else cam I do with it? Is comfrey ra good for other plants as well? OOOh so exciting.
andrea

[rocket]

One other thing I'd add about Leeks is that I only had to start them from seed once. I left a few unharvested, thinking I might collect seed. But then after they bloomed and dried up, I noticed that they started producing side shoots. So every fall I divide and plant all the new little bulbs.

[Zephyrbird5a-6]

How do you make comfrey tea? I have a monster confrey plant and have used it on my horses' wounds but not for gardening. What else cam I do with it? Is comfrey ra good for other plants as well? OOOh so exciting.
andrea

Oh, heck ya, flaquita!

Look here, scroll down to "Fertilizer Uses." I am starting a stand for use in fertilizing my roses and mulching them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey

[Emerald]

One other thing I'd add about Leeks is that I only had to start them from seed once. I left a few unharvested, thinking I might collect seed. But then after they bloomed and dried up, I noticed that they started producing side shoots. So every fall I divide and plant all the new little bulbs.

I've found that if I cut about 1/2 inch of white with the roots attached you can replant that piece it will put up a bunch of little finger around sized leeks and while they are not as big they are still tasty.

[spud]

Too make comfrey tea I just fill a 20 gallon plastic trash can with comfrey leaves and put of rock or concrete block on it and fill with water and put lid on it. In three to five weeks you have some good foul smelling stuff. I just dip a bucket usually a two gallon and put it in a five gallon bucket and fill the rest with water. Then pour that about plants that like a lot of nitrogen, like corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, tried on leeks of course with good results. Just remember it really smells foul, brings back fond memories of cow manure and dairy farms.

I have two trash cans and have them alternating so I have some all time. I usually will empty one can in just one day cause it stinks so good and the smell will get on your clothes and skin that takes a while to wash off:D. My wife just loves that. I also use dishwashing gloves when I handle it and try not to splash on my shoes. You can use the leftover leaves as mulch around plants also.


http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/comfrey.PDF

[spud]

I went out and picked these today, covered with leaves and a row cover. Seem to be keeping just fine and mice don't seem to like em.

[smellycat]

Dennis. Thanks for your "niceness". I cant spell worth a darn. I have learned to accept that as a huge short fall since I am a trained and licenced teacher. Shoot me now. :)

Spud OHMYGOODNESS! You rock to the Nth degree. THose are so wonderful and huge and cool. I wonder how long it would take me to get to Northwes Ohio to snitch a few of those yummy looking leeks. AAAAAG!

[tashak]

Emerald, thanks for the 1/2 inch white with roots leek tip. I'll try it.

[smellycat]

Here is what I am going to with my new found leek information. I am going to grow them just like everyone one here has suggested. I'm dying to get my hands in some dirt. Only another month away and I can start some of my seeds in doors.

I am going to try some leeks indoors and also when the ground thaws in this coming spring. I'll let you know how they do. I do know that I will heed all of the suggestions on here with 100% zest.

Spud, Gonna try your tea mixture too. Thanks for the info.

[lorna-organic]

Those are real beauties, Spud! I'm sooooo jealous!! :)

Lorna
Boycott Monsanto

[Zephyrbird5a-6]

Spud!!!! I'm jealous!!! oiii! There's some nice potato leek soup!!!!!!

[Samigator]

Hi Smellycat,

I'm in MN too (in fact I had a cat named Smelly when I was little, funny). Anyhow, I grew leeks this past summer in my raised bed garden and they did really well. I used the Dawn Giant seeds from Burpee, and I think I started them in the middle of February inside a single dish and transplanted them when I did everything else in May. Transplanting them was a pain because they were like tiny blades of grass, so I think I'm going to give them each their own cell next year to make the transplanting go better. They were pretty scrawny to begin with, but most of them got to be the thickness of a quarter or so, some bigger. Unfortunately, I waited too long to try to harvest them (a case of the end-of-gardening-season-procrastination- I was going to make some leek and parsnip soup, so I wanted the parsnips to get a frost or two, but apparently they got more than that) and when I went to pull them in mid-November, they were completely frozen into the soil. The ones I yanked on really hard and did come out were a little slimy, I'm sure from being frozen solid, so I never ate them and still have lots in my garden to compost next year. So I can't say how they were to eat, but they grew well. ;) Good luck and I'm sure you will do great! :)

-Leah

[flaquita]

I sowed some leeks out the other week, figured- What the ehck, have got nothing to lose. And today I saw little bitty sprouts come up. I am so excited....

[smellycat]

Semigator, Welcome and its great to have anoder Meeenesootan on here.

That't to bad 'bout your leek and parsnips. I love the both of them, soup is about it isn't it?

Again Welcome to idig. Glad your on here.

TRAIN!!!!!!
I'm lovin it man!!! Just lovin' it. The picts are so great. I need to learn how to post picts on here. My goodness. I can build stuff but cannot for the life of me figure out how to get a darn picture on here.

I will learn folks just give me time.

I ordered leeks everyone! I got the book planting by the moon phases too. I'll dig into it and let ya know what's in it.

flaquita,I am jealous of you and train for being able to plant this time of year. I have snow and lots of it. Oh well. It just makes me appreciate my seasons.

[crazyknitter]

I always start mine indoors in seed starting mixture (not soil), With conditions like your describing I don't see why not. Of course it was 12 degrees outside this morning, so I live in a different world!
Camo

Camo, can you tell me about "seed starting mixture"?

[crazyknitter]

Thanks for all this GREAT info everyone!!

Smellycat, I am right with you! And I thank you for asking these questions.. because I am doing the same as you - following all this with 100% zest!

[crazyknitter]

Where is the thread of Camo's that everyone keeps mentioning? I tried to do a search but......well, let's just say a tension headache is coming on as I try to take in everything at once. :p

[Samigator]

ooooh yaaahhh suure. Thanks- luckily I'm pretty sure parsnips do just fine in the ground all winter, so I'll have that to look forward to sometime when I feel like digging them up! I'll just have to go get some leeks from the store to make my soup. Funny, hubby doesn't like it. But I think it's mmmmm tasty! :p Good luck with them next year, I'm sure they'll be great! :)
-Leah

[zone ranger]

Good tip Emerald, I'll use that . Here's one for ya.
Leeks are painfully small for a long time. Even 72 cell trays are a bit much. And there is often not enough root to hold the plug together.
So I get two of the fiberglass panels used to protect florecent (sp) light bulbs. They come in grids from about an inch to way small. Anyway I have used the ones about half an inch per side. Place one on top of the other after filling the bottom one w/soiless mix settling it in. Add the top one, repeat. Plant. When big enough to transplant,
use a board with dowels set in it (imagine an upside down rake) to push them out.
You can "unplug" a whole row at a time.
Reusable and will last a lifetime.

[camochef]

Camo, can you tell me about "seed starting mixture"?

Crazyknitter,
Sorry, I wasn't paying attention again! Seed starter medium is what I use to start all my seeds in, it's usually much lighter than potting soil, consists of peat, pearlite, sometimes vermiculite and unknown ingredients... no fertilizer. I usually buy Ferry Morse or Miricle-grow seed starter at your favorite Garden center or someplace like Lowes. I use it for seeds only, Leek plants like those in the photo's you can't find, are planted directly in the garden. (photo's are all from the same day in July ,I think) go to search, type in leeks or camochef and it should take you there.I think they were, Leek Pics, More leek pics, last of leeks, Garden pics from Camo-3. They were Lancelot leeks from Dixondale Farms, most were 3-4 inches high when planted and thinner than a soda straw. I also planted American Flagg, Giant Musselbaugh, Lyond Prizetakers and Blue Solaize. They did almost as well but those lancelots did best. Of course the others were planted from seed.
planted lancelot leeks march 13&14. those were harvested 28 july. I hope that helps, I'll try to pay more attention in the future!
camo

[smellycat]

I thougth Train posted some picts on here of his leeks that he started. Hang on....


Yep he did. He has his in a fairly large container and was getting ready to transplant his.

I may go that rout for the sake of space on starting them. I can't wait. :)

Semigator,
Did you put anything over your parsnips? If not they may rot because of lack of protection.
Straw or tons of leaves and grass do well. I tried to overwinter mine last year, to no avail they did not make it.

I hope yours do... It's nice to have another active Minneeesootan on here.