Description
American Flag Leek are hardy, ancient heirlooms growing 15-18″ tall. They can overwinter in many growing areas with uniform, 1.5-2″ thick stalks. The blue-green leaves, and long, thick, well blanched, white stalks are great for home gardens and market. They grow very quickly and the mild delicate onion flavor will enhance soups, stews, and salads.
Companion Plants
Grow chives along with parsley, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kohlrabi, mustard, peppers, potatoes, rhubarb, roses, squash, strawberries and tomatoes to help those plants. Planting chives with carrots will improve both the growth and flavor.
Beets and carrots are good companion plants for chives. When chives are planted near carrots that have been allowed to bloom, it confuses both onion and carrot flies.
Asparagus, beans, peas and spinach are all bad companion plants for chives.
Germ: 8-16 days
Maturity: 120-155 days
Net Wt. per Packet: 250 milligrams
Approximate Seed Count: 100 Seeds/Packet
Planting and Care – Directly sow into garden one to two weeks before last frost date for the area or start indoors earlier. Germination temperature: 50-75 deg.F. This biennial prefers cool temperatures and can tolerate light shade. Water regularly and transplant when seedlings are 6″ high into a trench dug 5″ deep. Space seedlings 3-4″ apart, just covering the base of the plant. Fill in the trench as the plants grow, pulling the dirt up around the base of the stalk to provide frost protection and help blanch the lower stalk. Another method is to pile dirt up around the base of the stalks.
Harvest – Pull individual plants as needed as soon after they reach mature size. Leave unused stalks in the soil and cover with hay or mulch to protect from freezing for continued harvest into early winter.
Your Health – Leeks provide a good source of fiber, folic acid, vitamins B6 and C, manganese, and iron.
