Slugs and Salal: Veggies

LEEKS

The leek is a great vegetable for the west coast winter garden as the plants hold well in our cool, wet season from November through to February. You can also let the plant flower and then cut and dry the flower heads. The dried flowers make a very bold, attractive dried flower arrangement.

If you see anyone wearing a leek on March 1, they're not weird. They're Welsh. The leek is the national emblem of Wales, and March 1 is the feast day of the country's patron saint -- St. David, a sixth century preacher and monk. The Welsh connection with leeks originated in the story of a victory over the English in 640. The Welsh soldiers gathered leeks from the fields and wore them in their hats to distinguish their own from the enemy in battle.

The leek was brought to the British Isles by the Romans, who distributed this favored vegetable across Europe as they marched in conquest of the continent. It remains a staple of the British home vegetable plot today, and is entrenched in the diet in such traditional dishes as Scotland's cock-a-leekie soup.

Planting

Though there are several options on the timing of leek planting, the seed is generally sown indoors in late January to early February for transplanting late March to early April. Another option is to sow the seed directly outdoors in March or early April.

Choose a site in full sun where it will be easy to keep the planting well supplied with water during dry weather. A fertile, humusy soil will grow the best leeks. If possible, dig compost and/or composted manure into the soil along with a balanced fertilizer.

Sow the seeds as thinly as possible in furrows one-half inch (12 mm) deep, leaving at least 12 inches (30 cm) between rows. As the plants develop, thin them for use in salads and stir-fries. Young pencil-thick leeks can be steamed and eaten like asparagus. Lever leeks out of the ground with a trowel or digging fork. The roots are strong, and pulling can damage the plants.

Aim at leaving four to six inches (10 to 15 cm) between plants left to develop fully for late fall and winter use. When the plants are well developed begin drawing soil around the stems to blanch the lower portion. Do this in stages, taking care not to allow soil to fall down between the leaves.