Leek

When to plant/sow in zone:

Requirements: Full sun; plant into trenches

Soil: Well-drained soil enriched with compost and/or well-rotted manure or organic pellets. If pH is below 6, add lime to sweeten it up.

How to start: SEED: Sow in the ground or in punnets into seed-raising mix, 5mm deep. Keep moist. Germinates in about 10-14 days. SEEDLING: Space seedlings 12cm apart, in rows 45cm apart. Plant into holes or create 8-10cm deep trenches, space the seedlings along the trench (roots along the bottom) at 12cm intervals and gently push the soil back to cover the roots and a bit of the stem. Water them in and they will stand up straight on their own.

How to grow: Keep moist and mulch with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. Apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly. Be sure to thin plants to 12cm. To blanch the stems, when plants are 15cm tall begin hilling soil or compost around the stems to exclude light.

When to harvest: Start harvesting from 14 weeks. Plants can remain in the ground until needed.

Troubleshooting: Aphids; rust; thrips