Instructions for growing leeks: planting and care in the open field before winter

Leek, or pearl onion, is a herbaceous plant native to Asia. The vegetable is widespread everywhere, including in Russia. The culture is unpretentious in care, cold-resistant. Consider what rules are followed when planting leeks in the open field before winter and how to properly care for the plant in autumn and early spring.

Is it possible to plant leeks before winter

Many gardeners plant crops in late autumn. In cold and snowy winters, plants spud and insulate... If you follow all the recommendations, the harvest is harvested in May - June.

Interesting! It is known that leeks were grown in Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece. In the Middle Ages, the vegetable became popular in Europe, especially in France. Anatole France called pearl onions asparagus for the poor.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of subwinter cultivation:

• early harvest;
• plants are resistant to onion fly: it affects spring plantings when winter onions are already strong enough;
• early ripening vegetables or greens are planted in the vacant space;
• the beds do not need to be weeded: when the weeds begin to grow, the leek is already strong.

The main disadvantage - it is necessary to increase the planting rate, since under unfavorable winter conditions, some of the plants die.

Suitable varieties

For winter sowing late varieties of onions are suitablethat ripen within 160-200 days.

The most popular among them:

• Good fellow;
• Elephant MS;
• Karantansky.

Landing dates

As a rule, onions are planted in November before winter. Specific dates are not tied to the calendar and depend on weather conditions, therefore, before sowing, follow the forecast.

Attention! In regions with a warm climate, the culture is planted in December.

Favorable days according to the lunar calendar for sowing leeks:

• November: 1-3, 19-20;
• December: 1-2, 20, 25.

Suitable weather conditions

The air temperature must be between -1 ... + 1 ° C... If it is warmer, the seeds will have time to germinate before the onset of frost and the plants will die.

Culture loves humidity, so plant it in cloudy weather.

Crop rotation rules

The site for onions is chosen depending on what crops have grown there before.

Best Precursors for Leek:

• cabbage;
• potatoes;
• pumpkin;
• legumes;
• greenery.

The vegetable will grow poorly in the place where it was previously planted:

• cucumbers;
• garlic;
• corn;
• carrot;
• sunflower;
• different types of onions.

In the same place, the culture is grown for no more than 2 years, in the future, the plant is returned to the same bed in 4-5 years.

The most favorable neighbors for culture:

• tomato;
• celery;
• cabbage.

Training

For a rich harvest choose and prepare the leek area correctly, process planting material.

Soil

The soil is treated 2 months before planting the crop... It is fertilized with humus, compost, high-moor peat (5-10 kg / m²), superphosphate (30-40 g / m²), wood ash (1-2 kg / m²). Funds are brought in for digging.

Planting material

Seeds are processed in stages:

1. Calibrate: the grains are placed in a container of water for 15–20 minutes. Remove those instances that have surfaced.
2. Disinfect: Seeds are wrapped in gauze, placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15–20 minutes, and then in a thermos with water at a temperature of + 45 ° C for several hours.
3. Harden: the planting material is washed, dried and placed in a refrigerator for 12 hours.

The seeds are not soaked, but planted dry: early shoots will lead to the death of the plantings.

Sowing technology

Leeks are planted according to this scheme:

1. Grooves are made in the beds.
2. Seeds are placed in them at a distance of 8–12 cm. The row spacing is 20 cm.
3. Sprinkle everything with peat 1 cm thick.
4. Watering.
5. Cover with foil or agrofiber.
6. When the air temperature drops below -1 ° C, cover the leek with dry leaves, straw or snow. The material is periodically poured, and in the spring, when the frosts subside, they are removed.

Further care

To obtain a high yield, the vegetable is fed 4 times per season.:

1. 20 days after emergence, add 20 g of urea, 10 g of potassium sulfate, dissolved in 10 l of water. Consumption of funds: 1 l / 1 m².
2. Every 3-4 weeks, an aqueous solution of mullein or bird droppings (1:10) with wood ash is used.

Leek regularly watered (1-2 times a week), preventing the soil from drying out... The schedule is adjusted depending on weather conditions.

Important! When the vegetable has a strong stem, the soil is mulched with hay, humus or peat to retain moisture.

The next day after watering, the soil is loosenedto avoid crusting and improve the access of moisture and oxygen to the roots.

Pest and disease control

Culture has strong immunity and with proper care, it is not subject to common diseases and pest attacks... With poor-quality seed treatment, thickening of the plantings, there is a risk of downy mildew and rust.

For prevention seeds are disinfected, plants are treated with "Fitosporin" 2-3 times with an interval of 2-3 weeks.

To combat peronosporosis, use "Polycarbacin" (30 g per 10 liters of water) or "Arcerid" (40 g per 10 liters of water). To keep the preparations on the plant better, add a 1% soap solution. Working fluid consumption rate: 1 l per 10 m²... The treatment is repeated after 1.5–2 weeks.

Important! Onions after "Polycarbacin" are not used for green feathers.

Spraying is effective against rust Bordeaux liquid (100 ml per 10 liters of water). The procedure is carried out no later than 20 days before harvest. Consumption: 1 l per 10 m²... Plants affected by rust are removed immediately.

Of the pests for the culture, the most dangerous onion fly... To prevent its appearance, the vegetable is sprayed with Iskra and Fitoverm. In April-May, onions are covered with agrofibre.

Insecticides are used to control insects:

• "Thiamethoxam";
• "Imidacloprid";
• "Mukhoed".

Harvesting and storage

Leek is removed gradually... Vegetables that you plan to eat right away are dug out as they ripen. Harvesting of onions for storage is extended until August.

The vegetables are carefully dug out with a pitchfork, being careful not to damage the roots.... They are left in the beds for about a day. Next, the roots are cut in half, the leaves - by ⅔.

Leeks are stored in the cellar for 6-7 months at a temperature of 0 ... + 3 ° C, air humidity up to 85%. They keep the vegetables upright in wooden boxes, on the bottom of which sand is poured.

Advice! In the freezer leeks are stored 2 times longer.

Vegetables are kept on the balcony for 2-3 monthsif the temperature does not drop below -5 ° C.

Conclusion

Leeks are great for winter growing. The main thing is to sow the seeds in time so that they do not sprout before the onset of frost. Waterlogged, sandy, clayey and acidic soil is not suitable for culture. Plants are looked after in the same way as those planted in spring, except that for the winter the plantings are covered with dry leaves, straw or snow.