Which month is the best to plant chives?

Leek, as a popular perennial root vegetable , is widely loved for its unique aroma and rich nutritional value. The planting of leek is relatively flexible and is suitable for spring, summer and autumn, but the severe cold in winter should be avoided. Let’s learn in detail below: Which month is the best to plant leeks?

Which month is the best to plant chives?

Spring is an ideal season for growing leeks , especially in northern regions where the climatic conditions from April to May are very suitable for the growth of leeks. At this time, the temperature gradually warms up and the soil moisture is moderate, which is conducive to the germination of leek seeds and the growth of seedlings. In the southern region, due to the warmer climate, planting time can be earlier, usually in March to April.

Although the temperature is high in summer, leeks can still grow as long as proper management measures are taken, such as timely watering and shading. However, since high temperatures in summer may affect the quality and yield of leeks, spring planting is more recommended.

Autumn is also a suitable season for planting leeks, especially in early autumn. At this time, the temperature gradually decreases, which is suitable for the growth of leeks. Moreover, the planted leeks can be harvested once before winter, providing a guarantee for the supply of vegetables in winter.

Leek sowing and seedling raising method

1. Key points for site selection

The seed coat of leek seeds is relatively thick, and the seedlings' ability to break through the soil is relatively weak. Therefore, when choosing a planting site, priority should be given to areas that are sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, have high terrain, good drainage and fertile soil, are free of salinization, and have sandy loam or clay loam that has not been used to plant onion and garlic crops within 1-2 years. Such soil conditions are conducive to the growth and development of leeks.

2. Seed treatment

When planting on a large scale, the seedling method is usually adopted, and pretreatment of seeds, such as soaking and germination, can effectively speed up the germination of seeds. First, air the seeds for 2-3 days, and then soak them for germination 3-5 days before sowing. Soak the seeds in warm water at about 40 degrees Celsius for 12-24 hours, eliminate the incomplete seeds, scrub them 3-4 times, clean them, and place them in a ventilated place to dry for 1-2 hours. Next, wrap the seeds with gauze, germinate them in an environment of 15-20 degrees Celsius, and rinse them with clean water 2-3 times a day. When more than 60% of the seeds appear white, they can be sown.

3. Suitable sowing period

The sowing period of leek is relatively flexible and can be sown in spring, summer and autumn. In spring, sowing should be done as early as possible when the ground temperature reaches 10-12 degrees Celsius; in summer, due to the high temperature, the sowing amount should be appropriately increased, but it should be noted that leeks sown in summer are more difficult to manage; in autumn, sowing should be done after the beginning of autumn, and it is best to complete it two months before the frost to avoid affecting the wintering of the seedlings.

4. Sowing method

There are many ways to sow chives, including dry seed sowing, wet seed sowing and directly purchasing seedlings for transplanting. Dry seed sowing is to dig a 2 cm deep shallow trench in the planting site, cover the soil, compact it and water it after sowing; wet seed sowing uses seeds that have been treated with germination, sprinkle a layer of fine soil on the bed surface and then sow, then cover it with another layer of fine soil to keep it moist; purchased seedling transplanting is to plant the purchased leek seedlings in the planting holes according to a certain plant spacing.

5. Seedling management

The key to managing leek seedlings is water and fertilizer management, which directly affects the yield and quality of leek. After sowing, water in time according to the soil moisture. When the seedlings have 1 to 3 true leaves, water them lightly every 5-7 days to keep the soil moist. When they grow to 12 cm in height, apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer and drugs to control underground pests in combination with watering. When they are 15 cm in height, apply fertilizer every 10-15 days to promote seedling growth. When it grows to 5 leaves or 18 cm in height, you should control the water content to prevent it from growing too tall.

When transplanting, select seedlings 18-20 cm tall, dig them up with soil and grade them, cut off rotten leaves and leaf tips, keep the seedling length at 15 cm, and shorten the fibrous roots to about 5 cm. The planting density can be carried out according to the row hole spacing of 20 cm × 10 cm, with about 8 plants planted in each hole, and the depth should be based on the junction of the leaf blade and the leaf sheath. Water thoroughly after planting, and water again after 7 days depending on the soil moisture. Water every 5-7 days in autumn, and apply 2-3 times of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, while doing a good job of tilling and conserving moisture. Pay attention to increasing the proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the later stage of fertilization, and control nitrogen fertilizers to prevent the leek from growing too fast and falling over. When watering, keep the soil moist.

The above is an introduction to the planting time and key points of seedling cultivation of leeks. As leek is a vegetable with high market demand, we still need to pay attention to the method when planting.