Leeks (Allium porrum) impart a mild onion-y flavor while generally being more gentle on the stomach and digestion than their relative, the common garden onion (Allium cepa). They don’t produce bulbs, instead they store their flavor in thick, juicy stems/stalks and don’t need much room in the garden. And they're just fine for containers.
At the grocery store, leeks can be expensive. Harvested from your own garden, they're a trouble-free bargain. Leeks are great in soups, but they’re also delicious steamed like asparagus, oven-roasted, chopped into quiche, omelettes and frittatas, or wrapped in prosciutto and baked, then smothered in a cheese sauce.
Leeks are very frost-tolerant, thriving in cool weather. In Zones 7 and warmer, plants can overwinter in the ground and are perfect for fall planting. In northern zones, early spring is the time to plant them. Mine have endured hard frosts, freezes, snow, torrential rains, drought and blazing sun and have continued to grow and thrive. They are a hardy, multiplying perennial that takes little care and, in the right climates, can multiply into a nice permanent patch of leek goodness. A container or in-ground patch can be started from leeks bought at the grocery if the plants still have the roots intact.
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Leeks in containers by lovemyhouse | Jan 31, 2013 1:00 PM | 28 |