Organic Leek Seed
Allium porrum
 
Remarkable earliness and size.
Beautiful full-sized leeks. In favorable soil and culture, the white shanks are over a foot long to the first leaf. Medium-green leaves with full habit.
 
Details:
Plant life cycle : annual
Site:full sun
Days to maturity: 75
Seed depyh: 1/4"
Plant spacing:6"
Approx seeds per packet : 100
 
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, 1/4" apart, 1/4" deep or start in plug flats, thinning to one plant per cell.
 
Transplanting:Beginning in late spring, when approx. 8" tall and pencil-thick, transplant 6" apart in rows at least 12" apart in holes dibbled 6" deep. Only 2-3" 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/ft., 1/4- 1/2" deep, in rows 24" apart. Thin to 6".
 
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.
For baby leeks, plant closely (40 seeds/ft.) and harvest at finger size. While not hardy enough for overwintering, they will withstand medium-heavy frost (32° to 20°F/0° to -7°C) without losing their healthy appearance.
 
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.