- Name in Spanish: leek.
- Scientific name: Allium porrum.
- Leek is classified as a stem vegetable, it is a bulb and a lily.
In appearance, this bulb is very similar to its sister, the onion, but it is more slender and stretched, since its stem is part of its fruit.
It is spring green in color, slightly olive and grated by its whitish strands. With long smooth smooth leaves that fall under their own weight.
The absence of light on its stem lengthens the fruits, which is why they are sometimes covered with straw, as if sheltered.
The leek, like all lilies, will run through time to complete its vegetative cycle, so it will grow that long stem, and above it its pretty ball of white flowers and seeds.
It is very appreciated for soups, broths and stews, raw it accompanies salads and certain special dishes.
Its ideal soil will be rich in humus, with medium amounts of manure and compost it is enough, since the leek is not a demanding plant in almost nothing, it is advisable that the soil and its support be a little tight. Its support is the small groove and 30 cm will be enough.
Its climate and season are hot, spring and summer, although the leek tolerates cool and slightly cold weather perfectly.
Its irrigation is moderate but continuous, keeping the soil moist as much as possible.
Planting will be done in the nursery, with tray and substrate, at the beginning of spring. Since its seed is so small, it will be difficult for us to handle it and get it out of its planting frame, which will be 3 x 3 cm, well, but if we increase the volume of the seeds with dry quartz sand, we can to spread it more and better, and then, only, it will be necessary to lighten it a little. They are transplanted to their final support when they reach about 15 cm and with a planting frame of 15 to 20 cm. They lie down in the furrow and will rise on their own.
Their maintenance task will be to weed their competitors, to dig the furrow, to tighten the soil a little and to be attentive to possible incidents.
Its properties are mainly food and nutritional.
We are going to collect the seed of a plant intended for this purpose, we are going to let them complete their cycle and when the ball of flowers is released, we are going to cover it with a paper bag on the stem, so that the wind does not don’t take away.
Here you can learn how to blanch leek in the garden.
Their conservation is ephemeral but in a dry and refrigerated place they last a long time.
Its use for composting is almost zero, there is nothing or very little left.
You can regrow any leek, even with leeks that we buy at the supermarket.