Step-by-step instructions: how to grow leeks from seedlings
Leeks are a valuable vegetable crop with a unique set of vitamins and minerals. The white part of the plant is highly valued in cooking; it has a delicate, sweetish taste without the bitterness inherent in ordinary onions.
The crop is grown mainly by seedlings due to the long growing season, which is about 6 months. The seedless method is used exclusively in the south of Russia due to early spring and warm weather that lasts until mid-autumn. In this article we will tell you how to grow leek seedlings, how to care for seedlings, and when to transfer them to open ground.
Optimal timing for planting leeks for seedlings
Favorable days for sowing leeks vary depending on the region. In the north of the country, seedlings are sown between April and May. Transfer to open ground begins in June, when the ground and air warm up to a minimum temperature of +15°C.
The central regions of the country have more favorable climatic conditions, so sowing begins in mid-February. Planting of mature seedlings in a greenhouse is carried out in the second ten days of April, and in open ground - in the second ten days of May.
In the southern regions, leeks are planted directly into the ground in late May - early June. Favorable climatic conditions contribute to this.
Depending on the variety
The growing season of leeks is about 6 months. Crop varieties are divided into groups depending on the ripening period:
- early (summer) - ripen in 130-150 days, harvesting - from August to early September;
- mid-season (autumn) - ripen in 150-180 days, harvesting - in October;
- late (winter) - ripening period is more than 180 days, harvesting - in November-December.
Taking into account the information about the ripening period indicated by the seed manufacturer on the packaging, gardeners determine the time for sowing leeks for seedlings. Early varieties are sown in April, mid-season varieties - in late February - early March, late varieties - in late January - early February.
Depending on the lunar calendar
When to plant leeks for seedlings? Experienced gardeners advise sowing leeks for seedlings, taking into account the phases of the moon.
Favorable days for sowing in 2020:
- January - 1, 5-9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 25, 29;
- February - 2-4, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29;
- March - 1, 3-5, 10, 11, 14-16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 29-31;
- April - 2-4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27-29;
- May - 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12-14, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27-29;
- June - 1, 2, 4, 8, 11-13, 18, 19, 22, 24, 26-29.
Technology for sowing leeks for seedlings
The technology of sowing crops for seedlings allows you to obtain strong and healthy seedlings and reap a large harvest. Seeds are disinfected and soaked to increase germination. Sow in common boxes or individual containers. Standard care - watering, fertilizing, hardening.
Seed preparation
To increase germination, seed material is soaked in water room temperature for 24 hours and then dried in the open air.
The second method of pre-sowing treatment is soaking in a thermos. in water with a temperature of +40°C for 3-5 hours. Next, the seeds are washed in cold water and dried.
To disinfect the material use a strong solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
Reference. The optimal shelf life of seeds with retention of germination is 3 years.
Preparing soil and containers
Light but nutritious soil is ideal for rapid seedlings of leeks.. Heavy, clayey soil is not used for this purpose.
Gardening stores have a ready-made substrate for growing seedlings of peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants, enriched with the necessary nutrients. It is also suitable for growing leeks.
To prepare the soil mixture yourself, mix it in a large bucket:
- peat, garden soil, humus (1:1:2);
- ash, eggshells, peat, moss, sawdust, turf (in equal quantities).
Before use, water the soil with a steep solution potassium permanganate or "Fitosporin". To deoxidize the soil, add 200 g of wood ash to the bucket. Alkaline soil is normalized using dolomite flour.
To increase soil nutrition use urea, potassium salt, compost, superphosphate.
Any container is suitable for growing leek seedlings: tetrapacks, trays, boxes, pots, glasses. The container is doused with boiling water or a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
Peat tablets are a great alternative to plastic boxes. Their use greatly simplifies the process of sowing seeds - there is no need to prepare a soil mixture. The tablets require a constant level of humidity to be maintained due to rapid drying. This is perhaps their only drawback.
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Sowing technology
Seed sowing technology depends on the container used:
- when sowing in individual cups, 3-4 seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of 1 cm;
- 1 seed is sown in common containers in furrows 1-1.5 cm deep at a distance of 4-5 cm;
- sowing into a snail involves laying out seeds every 5 cm, with a distance of 2-3 cm from the edge.
The container is filled with moist soil and the seeds are sealed.. A 5 mm layer of sand or peat is poured on top and water is poured through a sieve.
The containers are covered with plastic film or glass. Leave the future seedlings in a warm place at a temperature of +21...+25°C until germination.
Sowing into a snail
Sowing seeds into a snail produces strong and healthy seedlings and saves window sill space.
Snails are used to twist:
- lining for laminate or dense polyethylene 10 cm wide;
- ready substrate;
- elastic band;
- a pallet larger in size than the rolled roll.
Sowing rules:
- lay the strip on the table or floor, sprinkle with moist soil;
- step back 2 cm from the edge of the tape and lay out the seeds, slightly immersing them in the soil, with an interval of 4 cm;
- Roll the tape into a roll and secure with rubber bands;
- place the snail in a tray with the seeds facing up;
- moisten the soil with a spray bottle and cover with a plastic bag;
- As soon as the shoots appear, remove the bag and move the tray with the snail to a lighted windowsill.
Caring for seedlings corresponds to caring for seedlings in boxes or glasses. The main difference is that water is poured into a pan, rather than poured from above.
Features of growing seedlings
When growing leek seedlings, observe: watering mode, fertilizing, maintaining optimal temperature and normal daylight hours. Seedlings are picked from common boxes into individual cups and hardened a week before transferring them to open ground.
Watering mode
Leeks need frequent and abundant watering - 2-3 times a week.. Young stems are too thin and weak, so watering is done carefully through a sieve or with a syringe under the root.
Spraying with a spray bottle moistens the stems and washes away dust.
Top dressing
During the period of growth seedlings are fed twice:
- two weeks after emergence;
- a week before transfer to an open area.
Used as fertilizers ready-made composition “Kemira-universal” or mix the components yourself - dissolve 5 g of potassium chloride, 20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of urea in 5 liters of water.
Bird droppings are considered the best food for leeks.. To prepare it, dilute 500 g of droppings in 10 liters of water and carefully water the seedlings at the root, trying not to get on the stems.
Temperature and light conditions
After the emergence of friendly shoots - this happens after 2-3 weeks - the containers are transferred to a cool place with an air temperature at night +10...+12°C, during the day - +15...+17°C. In such conditions, the seedlings are kept for a week. Then the air temperature is increased to +13...+15°C at night, +18...+20°C. In this mode, the seedlings are kept until their final transplantation into open ground.
The optimal length of daylight is 12 hours. When sowing early in late January - early February, it becomes necessary to illuminate the seedlings with a phytolamp; a budget option is LED lamps.
Picking and trimming leaves
When sowing seeds in a common container, mandatory picking is carried out into separate containers. The strongest seedlings are selected, carefully dug up with a spoon and planted in a prepared container with moist soil.
To form the correct bulb soil is periodically added to the container.
To ensure that the seedlings grow strong, the stems are pruned. every 14 days, maintaining the height at 10 cm.This ensures proper development of the root system and thickening of the stem.
Reference. After 30 days, the seedlings in common containers are thinned out, leaving a distance of 3-4 cm between them.
Hardening
A week before planting in the beds, the seedlings are taken outside for hardening. The containers are left in partial shade. The time is gradually increased, starting from 30 minutes and ending with 12-16 hours.
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Features of planting in open ground
Approximately seven weeks after the appearance of the third leaf, the seedlings are planted in the garden. Before transplanting, pinch the root and leaves by a third to obtain better greenery and speed up rooting.
The time for transferring seedlings to a permanent place occurs in the period from 55 to 65 days after germination.
The area for growing leeks is prepared in autumn or spring: carry out deep plowing of the land, add humus, make markings.
Onions prefer soil with neutral or slightly alkaline acidity. Optimal acidity is 6.4-7.9. To normalize the pH, dolomite flour or limestone is added in an amount of 400-500 g per square meter. m.
Advice! Plant leeks next to carrots, strawberries, and beets. Follow the rule of crop rotation - grow crops after beans, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage.
Leek It is not recommended to plant in the same place more often than once every three years.
For better survival The roots of the plant are dipped in a mixture of clay and mullein mixed 1:1.
Seedlings are planted in ditches 10-13 cm deep with an interval of 15-20 cm. The row spacing is 35-45 cm. This is an ideal planting pattern that provides unobstructed access to plants.
A mixture of 0.5 liters of wood ash and 10 liters of humus is poured into the ditches.
Planting care
Leek care rules:
Water the onions every 4-5 days. During drought, the amount of watering is increased. Both warm and cold settled water are suitable for this in an amount of 10 liters per square meter. m. It is important to maintain constant soil moisture, avoiding drying out and stagnation of water in the beds. At the beginning of the growing season in open ground, the soil is generously spilled with water to a depth of 7-10 cm.- Hilling the stems carried out when the seedlings take root in a new place (40-60 days after planting) and the stems reach a thickness of 5-7 mm. This helps to whiten the stems, making their taste tender and sweet. The procedure is carried out every two weeks, at least four times per season.
- Loosening is carried out after each watering, weeding as needed.
- Mulching the soil sawdust, hay or straw reduces the amount of weeding and loosening.
- Leeks are fertilized a solution of chicken manure with the addition of phosphorus and potassium: 1 part of the manure is mixed with 20 parts of water, 35 parts of superphosphate or nitrophoska.
- Treatment against diseases and pests carried out without fail to maintain plant health and harvest a rich harvest at the end of the season.
Protection from diseases and pests
The greatest threat to leeks is viral mosaic. This insidious disease does not manifest itself in any way during the period of growing seedlings and cannot be treated with anything. The main carrier of the virus is the melon aphid. Signs of the disease appear after onions are planted in the ground. Longitudinal yellow spots appear on the stems, the plant lags behind in development and begins to turn yellow and dry.
Viral diseases are fought with the help of agricultural technology:
- weed removal;
- extermination of insects;
- crop rotation;
- selection of virus-resistant varieties;
- seed treatment before sowing;
- cleaning the site of infected plants from the garden bed.
Leeks are also susceptible to fungal diseases.: rust (bright yellow pads of fungal spores on the leaves) and downy mildew (death of feather tips, whitish or pale gray color of greenery). To combat fungal infections, a solution of copper oxychloride (40 g/10 l) and “Fitosporin” (5 g/10 l).
Among insects, the main danger to leeks is onion fly. The pest has an exorbitant appetite and is capable of depriving the gardener of most of the harvest.
The fly lays eggs on leaves and in the ground in mid-May. After 3-4 days, larvae appear, feeding on the central part of the onion. The plant quickly withers and rots completely.
To protect the plantings, the beds are pollinated:
- wood ash - 200 g per square meter. m;
- tobacco dust in its pure form or a mixture of tobacco and ash in a 1:1 ratio;
- ground red pepper - 1 tsp. per sq. m.
After treatment, the soil is thoroughly loosened.
In the fight against onion flies, tobacco infusion has proven itself well.: 200 g shag per 10 liters of boiling water. The mixture is infused for 12 hours and 25 g of liquid soap is added. The infusion is used for spraying plants.
Conclusion
Growing leeks through seedlings allows you to reap a rich harvest on time. The crop has a long growth period - from 130 to 180 days or more, depending on the variety. When choosing a sowing date, gardeners are guided by the lunar calendar and the climatic characteristics of the growing region. Sowing work begins at the end of January in regions with risky agriculture (Siberia) and ends in May in the southern regions. In the regions of the central zone, sowing is carried out in March - April.
Caring for the crop includes abundant watering, hilling, loosening, weeding, fertilizing with organic matter and minerals, and protection from diseases and pests.