Which month is best for sowing chives?

When it comes to vegetables that can be picked and eaten at any time, many friends will think of garlic, onions, coriander, and leeks. Of course, these vegetables are also one of the types of vegetables that can continue to grow after the leaves are picked. Let’s learn together which month is the best time to sow leeks?

Which month is best for sowing chives?

The suitable planting period for leeks is quite flexible, usually covering spring, summer and autumn. However, given that high temperatures in summer may affect the growth of leeks, resulting in poor growth, spring has become the preferred season for leek planting . Early March to early May every year is the best time to plant leeks.

Leek planting method

1. Plot selection

When planting chives, you should choose a place with fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and a semi-shaded environment is ideal. If there is no semi-shade condition, you can choose a sunny location. In the hot season, you can set up a shade net above the leek to protect it from the sun.

2. Seed treatment

Before sowing leeks, the seeds need to be pretreated. First, air the seeds for one to two days, then wash them in 40℃ warm water, then soak them in water at about 30℃ for half a day, and finally place them at room temperature to germinate. When 85% of the leek seeds turn white, they can be sown.

3. Water and fertilizer management

When the leek seedlings grow to 4 to 5 cm, start watering and loosen the soil in time. When the seedlings are 10 cm tall, urea should be applied 2 to 3 times, and chemical agents should be used to prevent pests such as leek maggots. Transplanting can be carried out in June and July. When transplanting, the ends of the leek roots should be cut off, appropriate row and plant spacing should be maintained, and water should be applied in time to increase the survival rate.

4. Harvest

Chives are suitable for harvesting about 4 times a year. In summer, the leeks are older and the taste is not good, so the harvesting frequency can be reduced appropriately. When harvesting, the rhizome should be about 4 cm from the ground to prevent manure from contaminating the cutting edge during topdressing and causing root rot.

5. Topdressing after harvest

After harvesting leeks, an appropriate amount of fertilizer should be applied, but it should not be done immediately. It should be applied 2-3 days after harvesting, after the wound has healed, to avoid disease infection. In addition, wood ash can be applied during the growth period, which not only provides the potassium needed by leeks, but also improves soil structure and reduces the occurrence of maggots. The method of growing leek is simple and generally there are no major problems, but in order to ensure high yield and good quality, good field management must be done to increase yield.

To sum up, leeks grow faster in spring and autumn, slow down in summer due to high temperatures, and grow relatively slower in winter, but have better quality. When planting leeks, you should choose the appropriate planting time and management measures according to seasonal characteristics and local climatic conditions to ensure the healthy growth and high yield of leeks.