Allium ampeloprasum
Leek
Common names: Winter leek
Photo: Roger Culos · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Description
Leek is the winter vegetable par excellence: hardy cultivars stand in the bed into February and are cut fresh when little else grows. Its mild onion flavour refines soups and stews, and as a neighbour it keeps the carrot fly away.
Care instructions
Sow from February indoors and plant the pencil-thick young plants deep into planting holes from May. Hill the plants up several times so the shaft stays long and white. Water evenly and give a nitrogen feed in summer; winter leek survives frost down to about -12 °C and is harvested as needed.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
loamy, humus-rich, well-drained, nutrient-rich
Feeding
Heavy feeder
Companion planting
Good neighbors
carrot family (Apiaceae)
Umbellifers and alliums confuse each other's pests (carrot fly, onion fly).
For example DillParsleyCarrot fennelCorianderCarawayFennel and 16 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
rose family (Rosaceae)
You can plant garlic and chives under strawberries and roses; their scent repels aphids and other pests.
For example AppleRaspberryClimbing rosePearAroniaBlackberry and 52 more species in the catalogue
Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed Culture Practice
Rather not
legume family (Fabaceae)
particularly well establishedAllium species inhibit the nitrogen‑fixing rhizobia of legumes through their root exudates, which slows their growth.
For example Red CloverRed CloverWhite CloverSweet PeaLupineWisteria and 19 more species in the catalogue
Source: basic crop‑rotation rule
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
Onions slow down the growth of nightshade family plants next to potatoes and tomatoes; the classic crop-rotation rule also applies in the bed side by side.
For example PotatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberryChili and 8 more species in the catalogue
Source: basic crop-rotation rule
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
Diseases & pests
5 relevantFrom the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.
Acrolepiopsis assectella
The leek moth is a small nocturnal moth whose larvae bore into the leaves and stalks of leeks, garlic, and onions.
More on Leek mothPuccinia allii
Leek rust is a fungal disease on leek, garlic, onion and chives. Bright orange yellow, elongated spore pustules form on the leaves and leaf sheaths, which burst open and dust off rust coloured powder.
More on Leek rustStickstoff-Mangel
Nitrogen deficiency arises when plants cannot take up enough plant available nitrogen from the soil, usually on exhausted or sandy ground.
More on Nitrogen deficiencyThysanoptera
Thrips are tiny, elongated insects that become particularly active on warm, muggy days, which is why they are also called thunderflies.
More on Thrips (thunderflies)Delia antiqua
The onion fly (Delia antiqua) lays its eggs on the leaf sheaths of young onion plants, and the larvae then tunnel into the bulb, the neck and the roots.
More on Onion flyVarieties
4 varieties‚Blaugrüner Winter’
A robust winter leek, *‚Blaugrüner Winter’*, with striking blue‑green, almost leaf‑like foliage and medium‑length, firm stalks.
‚Carentan 2’
This French classic, *‚Carentan 2’*, carries you through the winter: short, thick stalks with dark green, blue-green tinged leaves.
‚Elefant’
The *‚Elefant’* is a robust-growing summer and autumn variety that lives up to its name: long, thick stalks and bright green foliage.
‚Hannibal’
A high yielding autumn and early winter variety with long, even shanks and vigorous growth.
Notes from real gardens
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