Leak, American Flag

  Leak, American Flag  

Heirloom. Organic. Grace your dinner table with an easy-to-grow, elegant onion cousin: the leek. Sweet and mild, leeks are gentle on the digestive system and play the role of onion in dishes, only toned down. Unlike onions, leeks don’t produce bulbs, but stash their flavor in thick, juicy stems, looking similar to a giant scallion. Leafy stems are pretty and don’t need much room in the garden. You will find a clump of several leek seedling plants in our pots. In the supermarket, leeks cost a premium; harvested from the garden, their a trouble-free bargain. Leeks are most famous for leek and potato soup, but they’re also good steamed like asparagus, oven-roasted, chopped in quiche, or wrapped in ham, baked, and covered with cheese sauce.

Planting American Flag Leak

While starting seeds of the American Flag Leak is not necessarily difficult, the right conditions will make the process successful.  Most gardeners sow American Flag Leak Seeds directly in the ground in the spring when the threat of frost has passed. Keep the ground moist but not wet for the first couple of weeks. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot for planting for the best performance. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position.  Heirloom / Open Pollinated American Flag Leak are cool weather loving plants that prefer well drained loose soil and an even amount of water. Plant heirloom American Flag Leak in rows or hills but make sure the soil is well warmed.  Germination should occur in 21-25 days in soil 70-85°F. 

In rows thin plants to or set out transplants 6-8" apart. Height: 20-24”   Spacing: 12-18 inches between rows Depth: 1/4  inch Germination: 21-25 days

Starting from Seed Indoors

 Start leek indoors 8-10 weeks prior to the last frost. Sow leek seeds ¼” deep and provide a soil temperature of 24°C (75°F) with even moisture. Thin and transplant young leek seedlings once they reach 2” tall into 2¼” Jiffy pots. After all risk of frost, leek seedlings may be set in a trench about 5” deep, filling in enough soil to cover the roots. Space leek plants 6” apart in rows 24” apart. Gradually fill the trenches in during the season. Planting this way blanches the shaft of leeks. Leek Can be direct seeded after risk of frost. As leeks grow be sure to hoe the soil up around the plants during the season to blanch the shaft.

Direct-seeding into the Garden

Turn over the area you've selected to a depth of approximately 2 inches. Rake the area until it's level and smooth. Water the area until the soil is damp but not saturated. Scatter the seeds in the area. Gently rake the area to distribute the seeds further and protect them from birds. Or, press the seeds into the soil and cover with no more than 1/4 inches of soil. You can also place 2 to 3 seeds every 6 inches in rows approximately 12-18 inches apart, and cover seeds with 1/4 inches of soil. Place planting stakes around the area so you will know where to water. Check on your seeds about once a day. Make sure to mist the soil whenever it appears dry. Germination for the Leak plants is approximately 21 to 25 days, depending on the warmth of the soil. Some gardeners like to plant Leaks in small hills. 

Germination Problems

Growing plants from seeds successfully depends on a lot of factors and this makes it impossible to guarantee success on every batch of seeds planted.  Factors include, soil composition, PH, temperature, moisture levels, seed depth, soil density, seed viability, seed storage and many others.  We tested the germination of all our seeds and this seed variety is around 80%, but your results may vary based on exactly how you plant and all the environmental factors.  Good luck.