Leeks are part of the allium family and are used extensively in dishes worldwide. Want to grow this culinary delight? Lorin Nielsen will present an extensive growing guide that shows you every step of the process, from seed to storage! Have you tried growing leeks? Luscious and delicious, they’re on every fine chef’s menu somewhere. In the UK, they’re a staple of the daily diet, and they appear heavily in Asian cuisine as well. Leeks are found in the most elegant dishes and at the finest restaurants. You’ll find leeks growing in the finest of gardens, too. Their onion-like flavor is excellent for soups, roasts, risottos, stir-fried, or in tarts. Harvesting leeks in summer, fall, and sometimes winter is a celebration. Planting leek seedlings that grow into fully-formed stalks packed with flavor is a reward in and of itself. Today, we look at the leek, explore some of the diversity of this allium, and learn the best way to cultivate these culinary delights. Leeks aren’t anywhere near as intimidating as they appear, and they’re well worth the time and effort spent growing them! What are Leeks? By now, you’re probably asking exactly what is a leek? The leek vegetable is a part of the allium species of the Amaryllidaceae family. This is the same family of plants that encompasses onions, garlic, chives, and many others. Like the onion, a leek grows in layers. It is most similar to the green onion in that regard. Where do leeks grow? That’s also a common question. The leek has a long history. Native Area Originally cultivated in central Asia, it spread throughout Europe due to its tasty nature. Eaten by the Egyptians and the Romans, it rapidly established footholds in most cuisines of Europe and northern Africa. Later, it came to the New World with the settlers, taking its place in the Americas. Delicious leeks have a subtler flavor than the onion and are often compared to scallions. However, they are milder than their more pungent relatives. Characteristics All leeks have shallow root systems and produce layers of green leaf masses from a slightly bulbous base. Like giant scallions, their slender stems grow through mild winters and are ready for harvest in spring. If they are left to bolt, they’ll produce a large globular flower, just as onions or garlic would. These are a great attractant for bees. Varieties Whether you choose to grow leeks from seed or via plugs, here are some of the best varieties of leeks to include in your garden this year. Can’t decide on which season? Try the ‘Autumn Giant’ variety, a midseason leek that takes roughly 100 to 120 days to mature. ‘King Richard’: 75 days. Very popular. Light green slender shafts. Tolerates light bouts of freezing temperatures. ‘King Richard’ leeks are a very popular variety! ‘Hannibal’: 75 days. Thick stalks that are pure white, dark green leaves. ‘Roxton’: 85 days. Uniform stalks. Does not bulb. Bright green leaves. It can be hard to find. ‘Varna’: 80 days. Long, slender plants with shafts that are often harvested early for best flavor. ‘Megaton’: 90 days. Bluish-green leaves. Thick leeks, very similar to late-season varieties. ‘Dawn Giant’: 98 days. Gigantic leeks! Often used for competition. ‘Pandora’: 90 days. Very uniform, non-bulbing. Bluish-green leaves. ‘Runner’: 105 days. Deep bluish-green leaves, very erect, easy to cultivate. ‘Striker’: 86 days. Very easy to clean. Long, thick shaft. Disease-resistant. Late Season Leeks ‘American Flag’: 105 days. Grows extremely well. Frost-resistant strain. ‘Lancelot’: 95 days. Reliable and classic variety. Rich green leaves. ‘Surfer’: 115 days. Disease and pest-resistant variety with clean white stalks. Blue-green leaves. ‘Bandit’: 100 days. Extremely cold-tolerant. Minimal bulbing. ‘Giant Musselburgh’: 105 days. Very old variety. Super-thick stems and cold-tolerant. ‘Blue Solaise’: 110 days. French variety, leaves are dark blue-green but turn purplish after a cold snap. ‘Carentan’: 130 days. Old European variety that is quickly becoming rare. High yields, vigorous. ‘Jolant’: 120 days. Winter-hardy variety with blue-green leaves and medium-sized stalks. ‘Tadorna’: 110 days. Disease-resistant cultivar. Overwinters in all but the coldest locations. Planting Set out quicker-growing, early-season leeks in the early spring for harvest in the late summer or early fall. They’re often smaller than late-season species and even milder in flavor. Some people use these to grow mini-leeks that are used in food. Late-season leeks are also planted in spring, but they’re harvested in late fall and even into winter. These take longer to grow. They’re also cold-hardy and somewhat frost-tolerant and handle gradual temperature changes. A few can be planted in the late spring for fall/winter harvest. Growing leeks in areas with mild winters is possible, too. In this case, a fall planting is best for an early spring harvest. How to Grow For the most part, after you transplant leeks, they can take care of themselves. However, if you want to have the most flavorful stalks, here’s the best way to ensure a tasty harvest. Maintenance You don’t have to prune when you’re growing leeks unless you want to. Some varieties, such as ‘American Flag’, have edible greens which can be trimmed and used in cooking. If you have a variety that doesn’t have bitter greens, trim the first green leaf or two occasionally for kitchen use. Don’t take more than two or three leaves from a given leek during its growth cycle, though! When you grow, mound soil around the leek to cover the stalk up to the base of the leaves. This naturally blanches the stalk and encourages it to grow taller. You can double your efforts by planting your leeks in a trench or hole initially, then gradually increasing the amount of soil around the leeks.

If you want to grow limes at home but lack the warm climate necessary for outdoor growing, take a look at dwarf lime trees. These plants remain compact, allowing you to tuck them into planters and grow them indoors. Join farmer Briana Yablonski to learn how to plant and care for these petite citrus trees. During the dark days of winter, few things are as refreshing as savoring a piece of lime meringue pie or sipping on a tangy lime cocktail. While there’s nothing wrong with purchasing limes from the supermarket, growing your own limes at home brings a whole new level of appreciation for this tangy citrus fruit! The tricky part of growing lime trees is their cold sensitivity. If you try to grow them outdoors in places like Pennsylvania or Colorado, you’ll watch them quickly succumb to winter temperatures. However, before you write off growing one of these trees at home, consider growing them in a pot indoors! Dwarf lime trees remain less than ten feet tall, so they’re perfect for container growing and sunny indoor areas. Not only do they produce tasty fruit, but they also act as a conversation-starting houseplant! Stick with me to learn how to plant and care for these tiny citrus trees. What Is It? Unless you live in the warmest areas of the United States, you’ll have difficulty growing lime trees outdoors. However, if you live in zone 7 and colder, you can still grow these trees at home if you bring them indoors during the winter. Since smaller trees are easier to move and keep indoors, dwarf limes are a great option for northern growers. The dwarf lime tree isn’t a specific species or variety. Instead, it’s any type of lime grown onto a dwarfing rootstock. The rootstock keeps the tree small and provides some disease resistance, while the scion determines fruit flavor, size, and production. That means you can find dwarf key limes, dwarf makrut limes, and dwarf Persian limes. Characteristics As I mentioned above, not all dwarf lime trees share the same characteristics. However, they do have many commonalities! All max out between six and eight feet tall when grown in the ground. Container-grown trees remain smaller and typically grow four to six feet tall. Therefore, they’re a great option if you want to grow a lime tree indoors. They are evergreen, so they keep their leaves year-round and never enter true dormancy. The leaves are oblong and may have a pointed or rounded end. Most of these citrus trees produce the majority of their small, white flowers in the spring, but flowers continue to pop up throughout the year. The flowers eventually turn into small fruits that grow until they reach the size of a golf ball or a little larger. Most limes will mature and ripen sometime between early fall and winter. Native Area Lime trees are native to Southeast Asia. The exact native area depends on the type of dwarf lime tree scion. Regardless, all of these trees prefer warm tropical climates but tolerate indoor growing conditions. Planting Depending on where you live, you can either plant these trees outdoors in the ground or in a movable container. Planting these trees in pots allows you to keep them outside in the summer and move them indoors when colder weather arrives, but you can also keep them indoors year-round. Regardless of where you plant them, it’s best to start the planting process with a seedling.

Looking for an exceptional cherry tomato to grow this summer? Look no further than ‘Sun Gold’. This prolific fruiter yields clusters of juicy, flavorful, low-acid tomatoes from early in the season until frost. Join gardening expert Katherine Rowe in exploring ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes for the summer harvest. It’s no wonder ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes are one of the most popular cherry tomatoes for the garden. This early-maturing hybrid variety is beloved as a gardener favorite for its bountiful fruits, cheery yellow-orange color, and deliciously sweet flavor like a taste of summer squeezed into juicy, bite-sized fruits. ‘Sun Gold’ glows in the garden with full clusters of perfectly round, golden tomatoes. Plants are high-yielding and disease-resistant, adding to the advantages and ease of growing ‘Sun Gold’. They’ll grow and produce the tender orb fruits from early summer until frost for an ongoing harvest. Brighten the garden and the salad bowl with ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes. Here, we’ll explore how to easily incorporate these favorite cherry tomatoes into our gardens this season. What are ‘Sun Gold’ Tomatoes? ‘These cherry tomatoes boast an exceptionally sweet flavor in abundant, bite-sized fruits. Indeterminate plants yield clusters of tangerine-orange tomatoes throughout the growing season. The juicy, tender fruits are among the tastiest of the cherries. ‘Sun Gold’ is a hybrid cherry tomato whose parents are a trade secret. Tokita Seed Company of Japan introduced the golden hybrid in 1992. Some growers speculate the prized heirloom beefsteak-type tomato ‘Brandywine’ is one of the parents, favored for superior flavor and garden performance. We’ll just have to be content with knowing hardy stock led to a strong garden performer and excellent flavor. Beyond its flavorful fruits, this variety is noteworthy for its disease resistance. Plants resist fusarium wilt and tobacco mosaic virus, two common tomato fungal problems. ‘Sun Gold’s’ high yields, vigor, disease resistance, and quality fruits earned it the Royal Horticulture Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit. Characteristics ‘Sun Gold’ is an early producer, with fruit maturing around 57 days after transplanting. The productive plants bear clusters of 8 to 14 fruits, with each petite globe weighing about one to one and a half ounces. Each plant produces about 120 fruits. The fruits have a low acid content and a sweet flavor with citrus notes. Cherry tomato clusters begin to ripen at the base (stem) and progress to the fruits on the tips. The ripening phases stagger the harvest over a few days and create an attractive look to the plant with bunches of green, yellow, and rich gold tomatoes. Once the fruit gets going, the harvests continue weekly throughout the summer and into fall. As an indeterminate plant, it has six-foot-long or longer vines, but four-to-five-foot vines are more likely. Indeterminate tomato plants grow and produce fruit all season until frost. The long vining stems benefit from staking, caging, or trellising to maintain production and health. The fruits are tender and thin-walled, making them fragile for commercial shipping to grocery stores but perfect for the local grower’s market or home garden. As fruits ripen and become full of juice, they sometimes crack or split (especially following rain, water fluctuations, or intense sun exposure when ripe). An option to prevent cracking is to pick fruits a few days early to let them fully ripen indoors. Fruits are flavorful even before they are fully golden, and early picking won’t compromise flavor. It also protects the thin-walled fruits from the sun, garden pests, and birds, who find them tasty, too. Native Area All tomatoes originate from wild, tropical ancestors in South America, with a narrow growing range along the coast and bordered by the Andes Mountains from Ecuador to Chile. The original cherry tomato, a wild, weedy plant with small fruits, dates to Ecuador some 80,000 years ago. Humans cultivated this small-fruited plant, spreading its range to Central America and further into South America through people and wildlife. The fruits that became the basis for the modern tomato came into cultivation in Meso-America 7,000 years ago. Explorers from Spain brought domesticated tomatoes to Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, but they were slow to enter cuisine. Tomatoes are part of the nightshade family, Solanaceae, with peppers, eggplants, tobacco, and many herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and trees. Nightshades had a reputation for toxicity, so plant collectors gave caution to tomatoes. Planting Tomatoes are frost-sensitive plants, requiring warm air and soil temperatures for best growth. They grow easily from seed. Start seeds indoors five to six weeks before the anticipated final frost date. Transplant seedlings outdoors one to two weeks after the last expected frost has passed and as nighttime temperatures are above 55°F (13°C). Vegetables in the nightshade family benefit from crop rotation yearly because they are susceptible to transmitting diseases. If you’re growing tomatoes in the ground, choose a spot where you haven’t grown other nightshades (eggplants, tomatillos, potatoes, peppers, and other tomatoes) in the past year for a clean plot. Indeterminate cherry tomatoes like ‘Sun Gold’ need a two- to three-foot spacing between plants. If planting in rows, space rows three to four feet apart to give the vining stems plenty of growing room and circulation. Plant tomato stems deep; each hair on the stem has the potential to set a root. You can plant as deep as leaving only one or two upper leaf sets exposed. Some gardeners lay plants horizontally in a buried trench, leaving one or two sets of leaves above ground for maximum rooting. A vigorous root system leads to strong, stable plants with increased nutrient and water absorption for best fruiting. The long vines need a support structure for best growth. Install the support structure at planting time to avoid disturbing roots and foliage later. A large cage provides ample space. ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes grow in containers as long the pot is large enough to accommodate mature plants with plenty of soil volume for a robust root system. A 15 to 20-gallon container gives indeterminate tomatoes room to grow. ‘Sun Gold’ may get a bit tall and rangy in containers as the season wears on, but the bounty of golden orb tomatoes is worth the space allotted. How to Grow While ‘Sun Gold’ is a relatively carefree tomato plant, it benefits from specific cultural conditions for the best growth and vigor. Plenty of sunlight, consistent water, and air circulation are key to tomato plant health. Maintenance Indeterminate tomatoes grow tall and leggy by the season’s end. Pruning isn’t necessary with caged plants, nor is it essential, but pinching off suckering offshoots can be beneficial, especially with staked or trellised plants. Pinching low offshoots, or at least pinching off the ends when shoots are six to eight inches long, directs energy to the upper parts of the plant and keeps leaves and fruits off the soil level. Mulching is another regular maintenance practice at planting and as needed during the growing season. Initially, let the sun warm plant roots for growth without mulch. When stems reach 18-24 inches tall, layer two to three inches of weed-free straw around plants. Mulch aids moisture retention, weed suppression, and soil temperature regulation.