Nutritionally leeks are close to the bulbs, but differ from the latter with less sharp pleasant taste. It forms broad linear leaves and onions of a cylindrical shape with a slight swelling at the base.

This plant is cold-and winter-resistant, so if there is snow cover it successfully winters in the area that allows you to receive fresh crops in early spring. The duration of the vegetation period is 200-220 days. After wintering (the second year) plants form a powerful arrow with a large light-purple inflorescence, which form small wrinkled seeds.

The soil for the leeks should be prepared in the autumn, by well tucking it with manure or compost (4-5kg per 1 m) and super phosphate and potassium chloride (respectively, 30-40 and 15-20 g per square meter). Place ammonium nitrate or urea under the rake (respectively, 20-30 or 15-20 g per square meter) in spring.

Leek is cultivated at the beginning of winter by seeding or by planting seedlings that are transplanted in spring. The seedlings are placed in the rows on a bed or a flat surface with the distance of 30 cm between rows and 20 cm between plants (16 plants per square meter). Just before the planting manually by hiller or a hoe make furrows to the depth of 10-15 cm. The seedlings are to be planted to the soil slightly deeper than in the seed-plot. This makes it possible to obtain long blanched onions.


After rooting of plants add a bit of soil to grooves for the stems to blanch. Besides hilling plant care comprises of weeding, cultivating, watering and fertilizing. Feed leeks two or three times during the summer. Use manure or chicken manure as an organic fertilizer. The composition and amounts of mineral fertilizers are the same as for bulb onions.
For summer use leeks are started to harvest in August, cutting it through a row, for winter storage - in early October. Store the bulbs in the basement, slightly digging it in the wet sand.
Leek is very popular with gardeners because it can be used in the preparation of many dishes, put in pie fillings, salad, or used as the seasoning for soups.

There is also a bit different way of growing leeks. Growing leeks is not hard this way but in opposite a lot of fun. Sow leek seeds on the seedling in late February, into pots less than 10-12 cm deep and 12x12 cm wide. The soil for planting should be good humus. A good idea is to add some phosphorus - potassium fertilizer. Sow about 20 seeds of leeks in each pot. Calculate approximately how many seeds you need to sow. Only 3 pots with seedlings is enough for the bed of 4 meters long and 40 cm wide. Leeks grow slowly and do not require special care

In early May, growing onions are transplanted from pots to the beds. Good predecessor for the leeks are cucumbers, cabbage, squash, since they are usually grown with the organics.
Make two deep grooves of 10 - 12 cm along the ridges, and tuck them with ash (1 cup to 1 square meter) and complex mineral fertilizers. Then, after 15 cm in each groove, make peg holes so that the long roots of leeks are immersed in the soil and not buckled.

Leaves and roots from seedlings are not pruned, and plant is dipped into a mixture of clay with manure. Water is poured to the pit and leeks are planted, pressing firmly around the ground.
To protect leeks from frost they are covered with no woven material, and if it is very cold film is added from above. When it gets warm the cover is to be removed and the weeds are plucked, adding the soil to the stalk from the inner edge of the furrow. During the summer leeks are fed several times with infusion of mullein, earthed and watered as needed.
Leeks are harvested in October.