Leek has a pleasant specific taste and aroma; in European cuisine this vegetable is a frequent ingredient. How to properly harvest and preserve it longer, more about this in this article.

When to harvest

Like many other cultures, leeks are of different varieties: some are grown for the feather, others for the succulent head. Green leaves can be harvested all season, and bulbs ripen on average 120 days after planting.

Important! At the last stage of head maturation, approximately 2 weeks before harvesting, the planting is covered with agromaterial in order to preserve their snow-white color.

The harvesting time depends on the climate of the region in which the crop is grown:

• on South - end of July - the first of August;
• in temperate climates - middle and end of August;
• in the northern regions (plant persistent early ripe hybrids) - beginning of September.

In any case, the crop needs to be collected and prepared for storage until frost.

Weather conditions for collection

For harvesting, choose dry and sunny weather, which allows you to dry the fruits right on the bed. If you work after rain on moist soil, the bulbs can be damaged and then you can forget about the long-term preservation of the crop. The damaged outer layer of the heads will begin to rot.

Signs of ripening onions

When leek feathers fall on the soil, and their tips and edges of the plates turn yellow - this is a sure sign of ripeness of the vegetable.

It happens that the harvesting time has already reached the deadline, and the greens show no signs of ripeness. Then the growers dig their heads, cutting the roots, which deprives the plant of nutrition and accelerates ripening.

How to prepare for storage

If the culture is grown in large volume in order to leave part of the crop for storage, then it must be collected carefully. The heads are forged with a pitchfork, removed from the ground, holding by the feather, also trying not to damage the greens.

Did you know? In countries of the Mediterranean leek came from Mesopotamia, where it was grown for 3 thousand years BC. e. On the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, it still grows in the wild.

Drying

After harvesting, the fruits are left for a couple of hours on the ridge for ventilation, if the weather does not allow it, they are carried away under a canopy. Then sorted out, removing leaves with signs of yellowing or damage. The crop is dried for about a week in sunny weather, if the process takes place indoors, drying can last up to 10 days.

Pruning

Duration of storage also depends on how the gardener can trim the onion.

Trimming Rules:

• greens are shortened by a third;
• the roots of the bulb are cut so as to leave 1 cm;
• pruning is carried out with a sharpened blade so as not to soak the feather.

How to store leeks at home

In the city, fresh onions can be stored on the balcony or loggia.

What mode is needed for this:

• lack of lighting;
• humidity not higher than 65%;
• the temperature is not lower than -7 ° C, the vegetable does not withstand greater frost.

Therefore, the room is preferably glazed, and the culture is covered with an old blanket or blanket.

If during storage the vegetable is slightly frozen, do not rush to throw it away: it will go to hot dishes.

Fresh

Another option for an apartment: a refrigerator. In a box for vegetables, the product can retain freshness for up to 5 months.

Rules:

1. Fruits with whole feathers are selected with no signs of damage.
2. Cut the greens and roots.
3. Place a thin layer (no more than 5 cm) in polyethylene, make holes in the film.
4. The temperature in the refrigerator should be + 2 ... + 4 ° С.

In dried form

Dried seasoning can be made from crushed leek for the winter using an oven or electric dryer.

In this case, you need to know at what temperature the product will retain the maximum of useful substances:

• at t 50 ° C - drying time of about 1.5 hours;
• at t 100 ° С - no more than 20 minutes.

Natural drying takes place outdoors, but without exposure to sunlight. The raw materials are also cut in convenient portions (rings, cubes), laid out in a thin layer on a piece of clean cloth. Periodically, the raw materials are mixed for uniformity of drying, the process takes from 10 to 14 days. Store the seasoning in a glass dish with a hermetically sealed lid.

Did you know? There is one legend in the history of Wales: during the battle of the Welsh with the Saxons in the 6th century, at the prompting of Bishop David of Menevius, the warriors of Wales attached leek feathers to their helmets to distinguish their own from enemies.

Frozen

After pre-treatment, the leek can be frozen.

Freezing Technology:

1. The heads washed and dried are cut with rings or bars, placed in plastic bags and placed in the freezer.
2. The feather is chosen green, without yellowing, washed and dried. Then, folded in bags with holes, for 2 hours they are placed on a vegetable shelf t from -2 ° С to + 2 ° С. After that they put it in the freezer.

Subject to cooling on a shelf in front of the freezer, the pen will retain freshness for up to 5-6 months.

Canned

Like other vegetables, leek can be preserved for the winter. Washed and chopped vegetables in random order are harvested with spices, herbs, and other vegetables. Vinegar or lemon juice is used as a preservative. Canned with hot marinade or sterilized with cold pouring. Store canned food in the pantry or basement.

Where else are leeks stored

There are still options for keeping the vegetable fresh until spring.

In the basement

In the village or in a private town house there is a basement or cellar. Here, in a certain microclimate, the fruits are stored for a long time.

Important! Sand before use should be calcined to protect the fruits from pathogenic microorganisms.

Storage conditions:

• temperature - from -4 ° С to + 4 ° С;
• humidity - 85%;
• way - pour coarse-grained sand into a wooden box, place the onion vertically (without cutting), sprinkle sand scrap at least 20 cm to cover the entire white part. Sand moisten.

In the beds

In regions with moderately cold winters, where the temperature does not fall below -10 ° C, leeks are left for wintering. Before freezing, planting with a crop is spudded, dry foliage is raked up with a layer of up to 20 cm. When the snow falls, it is raked in a large layer on the beds with onions. In the spring, the shelter is cleared, after a few days the plant will rise, pick up the juices and will be ready for use.

Leek is a new culture for our latitudes, but is already in great demand. It will be useful for every housewife to know how to keep the product for the winter.