Harvest time is late summer to early winter. If you harvest earlier, the leeks will be slender. If you have any left in the garden from the previous year, you can harvest them in spring and they will still be quite tasty. You may notice that bulbils are forming just under the first or second layers of the lower stem. Detach these leek “seeds” and replant them, or eat them as they have a subtle flavor all their own. I have grown these five cultivars and would be hard-pressed to tell them apart by looks or taste. Mostly they taste like … well, leeks—a delicate, refined cross between shallots and garlic. Leeks bloom in their second year and produce many seeds. I have scattered these seeds in my garden and have enjoyed several years of mixed-parentage offspring. Blue Solaise has blue leaves, although a hot
summer will make the blue color less prominent; tolerant of cold soil temperatures; a taller leek, a trait that has been passed on to the mixed-parentage seedlings in my garden; matures in 100–120 days. Giant Musselburgh, an heirloom variety from Scotland that was introduced in 1834; one of the largest-diameter leaks: three inches or more; adaptable to different garden conditions and very tolerant of cold soil temperatures, it grew well in my amended clay, silty soils; matures in 80–150 days.
Striesen, a German heirloom leek that
grows as tall as Giant Musselburgh but not quite as wide; I couldn’t tell them apart. King Sieg Leek, a shorter, thicker leek—up
to three inches—with blue-green leaves; a hybrid between Siegfried Frost and King Richard; approximately 84 days to maturity, but will also hold well in the garden for winter harvesting. Primor also called Baby Primor or French
baby leek; bred to be harvested young in mid-summer but you can also wait and harvest them in the fall with your other leeks; matures quickly: 90–120 days. Now it is time to harvest some leeks for one of our favorite fall pizzas: Roasted Butternut Squash, Pecan and Leek. Thinly sliced leeks perfectly meld with the squash and pecans in this seasonal dish.
Debra Knapke is a teacher, lecturer, garden designer, consultant and gardener who is eagerly anticipating a bountiful leek harvest this fall. She has written five books and is a Heartland Gardener: heartlandgardening.com.
What’s In Season Fruits: Apples, Blueberries, Apricots, Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Strawberries, Watermelons, Tomatoes Greens: Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens; Lettuce, Kale, Spinach Cabbage Crops: Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Radishes Root Vegetables: Beets, Celery, Green Onions, Leeks, Okra, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, Potatoes, Garlic Last of Summer: Herbs; Hot, Bell and Sweet Peppers; Sweet Corn Squashes: Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Winter Squash, Pumpkins edible COLUMBUS.com
FALL 2017
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