Yellow large from Poitou untreated Leek - Allium porrum

The Yellow 'Gros du Poitou' Leek is an early variety widely cultivated in the West of France. The plants have a short and white stem. The foliage, trailing, is light green, almost yellow. This leek, quite sensitive to cold, is sown from February to April for a summer harvest until the first frost, from July to October. It is a leek that is increasingly grown in gardens, especially for its incredibly tender flesh.

The leek or Allium porrum is a biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Alliaceae family. Native to Central Asia, it was already known by the Egyptians 1500 years before our era. Its foliage was long and very thin at that time. The Romans also appreciated it. Its appearance then resembled that of its cousin, the onion, with a very thin stem and a well-rounded bulb. It is also known that it had already been introduced throughout the Middle Ages throughout Europe.

The leek has long blue-green or dark green leaves that are wide and sheathing, forming together the stem, which is the white part that resembles a stem. This stem is the most prized part. White, its taste is very delicate and corresponds to the underground part that has not benefited from light. At the end of the second year, it produces a stem topped with a spherical mauve umbel the size of a tennis ball, which has become the emblem of Wales.

This very hardy vegetable, some winter varieties of which can withstand temperatures below -15 or even -20 °C (- 4°F), can be sown for a large part of the year (from February to August). Considered a winter vegetable, it can be harvested almost all year round. The leek is rich in dietary fibre, facilitating digestion. It is also rich in vitamins C and B and sulfur compounds with antioxidant properties. It is also reputed, like onions, to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, among other benefits.

It is also interesting from a taste point of view, as its flavour is somewhere between an onion and an asparagus, leading to one of its nicknames, the "poor man's asparagus". It is mainly the white stem and the rootlets that are consumed. It is used in the preparation of many local dishes around the world. It is a critical element of the traditional casserole, consumed in soups, quiches, cold with vinaigrette, thinly sliced raw in salads, etc. The Japanese particularly like it: it can be found in many recipes such as sushi and sashimi or delicious sesame leeks.

Harvesting: harvest your leeks as you need them. The harvest generally takes place between 5 and 8 months after sowing. Gently pull on the leek to avoid injuring or damaging the stem. If you encounter difficulties in this operation, use a small spade a few cm away from the desired leek and lever it out more easily.

Storage: you can store them for two weeks in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator. They can be stored in the freezer for almost three months. Bag them after blanching them for a few minutes, rinsing them under cold water, and then drying them carefully.

A Gardener's Tip: plant leeks with carrots. The carrot fly dislikes leeks, and the leek fly doesn't like carrots! Tomatoes, lettuces, and strawberries are also good companion plants for leeks, but leeks dislike the presence of their cousin, onions, beets, and beans. To know if a leek needs watering, observe its foliage: if it stands tall, everything is fine; it is not thirsty. It probably needs water if its foliage wilts and leans to the side.

Untreated or "NT" seeds come from conventionally grown plants (often using phytosanitary products) but undergo no treatment after harvest. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.