LEEK-AMERICAN FLAG
LEEK-AMERICAN FLAG
A$3.50
Availability: 68 in stock
Allium porrum
AMERICAN FLAG is an heirloom variety growing up to 40cm high. They are large, with long white thick stems, and blue green leaves. Many leeks originated in the Mediterranean, spread through Europe, and then into North America by European settlers. Today France is the highest producer of leeks. American Flag is sweet with a mild onion flavour and commonly used in salad or soups, a favourite being cock-a-leekie soup. Very hardy and cold resistant they can be planted in early Autumn for a winter harvest or early spring to harvest in Summer.
Raise seedlings or sow direct in sandy loam with moderate watering to keep soil moist but not saturated. Does well in nitrogen rich composted soil or use a broad range fertiliser. Build up soil around the base to blanch the stalk to increase length of whiteness. This can cause dirt to appear in amongst the leaves so they require good rinsing in water before cooking. If raising seedlings plant out when 20cm high.
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 feet)
Season of Interest
Autumn to Winter.
Temperature Range
15 - 25 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Biennial
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Hardy
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise seedlings indoors, transplant outside.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile, loamy soil.
pH
6.0 - 7.0
Soil Temperature
10 - 25 °C (50 - 77 °F)
Seed Preparation
Soak seeds overnight.
Sowing Depth
1 - 2 cm (½ inch)
Plant Spacing
15 cm (6 inches).
Row spacing
30 - 45 cm (12 - 18 inches)
Watering
Regular and consistent.
Germination Time (Days)
7 - 14 days
Harvest Time (Days)
120 - 150 days
Good Companion Plants
Carrots, Celery, Onions, Cabbage, Beets, and Tomatoes.
Bad Companion Plants
Beans and peas
Pests
Onion thrips, Leaf miners, Slugs
Diseases
Downy mildew, Rust, White rot.
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
