DUCKS for THEE in 2023

[ducks4you]

I Have to try to start onions/leeks early. They can be direct seeded Here in early March. I just don't wanna do that.
I think sometimes we are garden successful bc of dumb luck!
Every time I think I know what a plant needs, the plant dies on me.
Interesting, I've been keeping my geraniums alive with a tiny bit of soil in a wet bowl in the cold basement with a 60 watt light bulb over head, and they're Happy, another reason why I love them so!

 

[Branching Out]

I Have to try to start onions/leeks early. They can be direct seeded Here in early March. I just don't wanna do that.
I think sometimes we are garden successful bc of dumb luck!
Every time I think I know what a plant needs, the plant dies on me.
Interesting, I've been keeping my geraniums alive with a tiny bit of soil in a wet bowl in the cold basement with a 60 watt light bulb over head, and they're Happy, another reason why I love them so!

I tried to grow leeks once from a pack of seedlings that I planted out in April. They sat there for probably a year, not doing much. We couldn't even harvest them at the end, so it was a very long time to devote sunny garden space with no real yield at the end. Leeks are lovely though, and it is $5 for a bunch of just 3 or 4 leeks-- so it would be cost effective to be able to grow a small quantity of them. Do you have any suggestions for how to get a nice crop of leeks please?

 

[heirloomgal]

Home grown leeks..... They are right up there with home grown tomatoes. Best soups I ever made had garden grown leeks in them.

 

[baymule]

@Phaedra don't you plant the root bottoms you cut off green onions?

@Branching Out maybe you could buy some leeks and enjoy them, then plant the root part.

 

[Branching Out]

@Phaedra don't you plant the root bottoms you cut off green onions?

@Branching Out maybe you could buy some leeks and enjoy them, then plant the root part.

I never thought of planting the roots that are left after you use the leek. Does it actually work? I have done that with scallions and they grow very well with this technique.

 

[flowerbug]

can leeks cross with green onions?

 

[digitS']

Best soups I ever made had garden grown leeks in them.

It would be difficult to top leeks as a soup ingredient, even with just potatoes and some milk .

 Originally, I didn't think that my garden environment was right for leeks - then, I gave them a try. Mostly, they are treated the same as bulb onions and do just fine. They need a longer season but have those high soil fertility needs. I will be starting both in flats in the unheated greenhouse in about 4 weeks.

Starting earlier than that (for the onions) meant that I felt compelled to shear them because of excess growth and that the outdoor conditions were not good enough for setting out. Nope ... too hard on them and probably the nutrient-rich soil needs were a part in that. I suppose that I could have added fertilizer to their watering but just timing seemed more appropriate than shearing to limit growth and fertilizing to encourage it.

Leeks do seem to benefit from a more benign growing location - like some afternoon shade. But, they don't always have it. Fertilizer sprinkled as a side dressing has to be done with care because of how their leaves grow. They capture whatever falls on the leaves.

Steve

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

I've never had any luck with growing the bottom parts of green onion. They just sit there for months and then rot.

 

[ducks4you]

 

[digitS']

That deserves more laughs!