Rules for growing leeks in seedlings

A healthy vegetable that can accumulate vitamin C during storage, you can grow it in your own garden. To get a high-quality crop, it is better to first grow the seedlings and then transplant them to a permanent place. This method will be especially relevant when growing leeks in the northern regions, where the warm period does not last so long.

Sowing

Leek seed material remains viable for up to three years. It will not be difficult to grow high-quality onion sprouts from seeds, it is important to pay attention to the following points.

• Terms: the seeds are planted in the second half of February, a couple of months before the intended transplantation to a permanent place.
• Seed dressing: for this they are pre-soaked in hot water with a temperature of about 50 ° C for about half an hour, then washed with cold. Purchased seeds do not need to be disinfected, since they have already passed the necessary processing.
• Germinating seeds: for this purpose, they can be left in warm water for a day or wrapped in a cloth soaked in warm water for several days.
• Seed sowing scheme: it is advisable to prepare an individual 4x4 cm dish for each seed.In common boxes, the seed is sown to a depth of about 15 mm, the distance between seedlings is 5 cm.

After completing the necessary preparatory work, the seeds are dried and sown in the prepared soil. The decomposed seed is lightly covered with soil and covered with polyethylene to create an optimal microclimate. Then they are placed in a warm place where the optimal temperature is maintained - about + 23 ° C. From time to time it is necessary to remove the film to open access to fresh air necessary for plant respiration. Also, if necessary, you need to moisten the soil.

Seedling care

The appearance of sprouts signals that it is time to rearrange the pots in a less warm shaded area and remove the film cover.

Advice

As the seedlings grow, you need to gradually add soil for their better development.

The seedling period includes the following care.

• Compliance with the temperature regime. In the first days after germination, the air temperature should be about + 16 ° C during the day, and about + 11 ° C at night. After a week, the day and night temperatures are increased by 3 ° C and maintained at this level until the moment of transplantation.

Important!

High temperatures can lead to the formation of flower arrows that should only appear in the second year.

• Picking. After a month, the thickened leek is transplanted into individual dishes, leaving sprouts in the box, located at a distance of about 2 cm.
• Watering. Since onions are a moisture-loving crop, you need to keep the soil moist with regular watering.
• Top dressing. It is desirable to accompany the cultivation of plants with fertilization. To do this, leek seedlings can be watered with "compost tea" twice a month.

Advice

For better root development and thickening of the onion stalk, you need to prune the growing leek leaves twice a month, leaving a length of about 10 cm.

Hardening before planting

Before planting, the seedlings begin to harden. Hardening procedures are carried out outside and constant airing. This is done so that the sprouts begin to get used to normal conditions.

Since the leek develops rather slowly, it is transplanted after 2–2.5 months from the moment of germination. At the same time, high-quality specimens are characterized by a stem diameter of 5–8 mm and the presence of at least three leaves.

Before replanting the leek, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance where it will grow.Also, special attention is paid to the timing and rules of planting.

Landing site

To grow onions through seedlings, you need to prepare very fertile soil with neutral acidity for planting. High acidity is reduced by preliminary liming. To increase fertility for every 1 m² before planting, about 6 kg of organic fertilizing, 120 g of nitrogen and 40 g of potassium fertilizers, as well as 50 g of superphosphate are intervened. The land is well dug up in the fall, and in the spring, before planting, it is well spilled with warm water.

Important!

In the spring, the soil is not dug under the crop.

The site is chosen depending on the previous crops: it is better if it is siderates, tomato, cabbage or legumes. Growing plants after onions, garlic, cucumbers or carrots is difficult.

Seedling preparation

For a few days, the seedlings are hardened and, just before planting, the roots and leaves are shortened by about a third, so that the onion is better adapted. Also, leek roots can be dipped in a liquid solution of clay and mullein, taken in an equal dose. This is done to reduce the adaptation period of the shoots.

Dates and scheme of disembarkation

A transplant to a permanent place is performed in the first ten days of May. Pits about 11 cm deep are pre-prepared, rotted compost is spread on their bottom. Half filled with earth, the hole is well watered.

The landing pattern depends on the number of rows in the garden.

• When planting plants in two rows, the aisles of about 30 cm are observed, while the seedlings are placed after about 15 cm.
• When planting onions in several rows, the sprouts are placed approximately 10 cm apart, keeping a distance of 25 cm between the rows.

Advice

Better plants can be grown in narrow beds by sowing wide aisles with strawberries, beets, or carrots, which are good neighbors.

Care

Proper care includes regular watering, frequent loosening of row spacings, mineral fertilizing, timely hilling and weed removal.

• Watering

Given that the leek loves moisture very much, especially in the first half of growth, it is regularly watered every five days, pouring a bucket of 1 m²... Watering is carried out until the end of summer.

• Fertilizer

Transplanted seedlings require about four feedings per season. They begin to feed in 20 days from the moment of disembarkation. For each feeding, a solution is prepared: 20 g of ammonia and 15 g of potassium fertilizers are added to a bucket of water. This bucket is distributed during watering over an area of ​​4 m².

You can use an aqueous infusion of mullein or bird droppings as a fertilizer (in a ratio with water –1: 8 and 1:20, respectively). Before hilling, ash is poured onto the stems at the rate of 1 glass per 1 m²... Top dressing, as well as watering, is done before the beginning of autumn.

• Weed control

In order to reduce the likelihood of weeds, you can use sawdust, having mulched the surface of the garden with them. This is also done to keep the soil moist and make the onions more comfortable.

• Hilling

Start from the moment the leek stalk thickens to the diameter of a pencil. First, the holes are filled with earth, and then hilling is carried out twice a month. This is done in order to obtain a longer white stem. Plants are spud at least four times per season, preferably simultaneously with watering.

Since leeks can withstand lower temperatures, you can start harvesting at the end of November. Despite the fact that growing a crop is fraught with some difficulties, the process itself is not laborious, as it seems initially. Germinating seeds and caring for sprouts, properly replanting and creating favorable conditions for plant development - these are what you need to rely on in order to grow quality plants and harvest a good leek harvest.