Leek – Lincoln F1 – 250 seeds

Description

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Allium porrum

CULTURE:

Leeks are heavy feeders and require fertile soil (pH of 6.2-6.8) for best results.

GROWING SEEDLINGS:

Sow in flats in Feb.-March, 0,6 cm  apart, 0,6 cm deep or start in plug flats, thinning to one plant per cell.

TRANSPLANTING:

Beginning in late spring, when approx. 20 cm tall and pencil-thick, transplant outdoors 15 cm apart, rows 60cm apart in holes dibbled about 15 cm deep. Only 5-7,5 cm of leaves need to extend above the soil surface. Do not firm soil – allow irrigation or rain to fill in the dibble hole.

DIRECT SEEDING:

Sow in early spring, 6 seeds 30 cm., 0,6-1,2 cm deep, in rows 60 cm apart. Thin to 15 cm.

BLANCHING:

During the growing period hill the plants with soil 2 or 3 times, higher with each hilling. This forces the leaves higher up the plant resulting in extra-long blanched stalks and a much longer edible portion. When using the “dibble method,” hilling is reduced or eliminated.

HARVEST:

When plants reach desired size, loosen with a spading fork and lift plant.

STORAGE:

Clean leeks and store several weeks at near freezing in a humid cooler in boxes, or store in a root cellar with roots in moist soil/sand/peat mix.

DAYS TO MATURITY:

From transplanting; add 20-30 days if direct seeding.