I ran across a few references to permanent leek and bulbing onion beds, but I need more detail. Could anyone here tell me how to establish and maintain a permanent leek bed, and/or bulbing onion bed? Much obliged for any advice.

By bulbing onions, I suppose that one could include some of the walking onions in that classification. Most again need a permanent location for maximum use. That is, early scallions, topset pearl onions, and bulbs.

In either case, leeks or onions, the first consideration would be creating a good bed of soft soil with good drainage. (Remember that that soil isn't going to be tilled again for several years so it has to be a loose type to not compact after a few heavy rains.) Then add twice as much compost, manure, or other rich organic matter as you'd use in an annual garden. After that, you keep adding nutrients when you mulch in the fall for winter protection.

All along, the keys to permanent allium beds are soil condition and nutrients. Fleshy feeder roots need loose soil and access to a quick and easy meal. Tend to both of those and you'll never have a problem.

Martin

I had the idea -- with leeks being biennial and producing something to eat one year and then seed the next year -- that I would sow seed this year AND next year, and that might be the only seed I would need to sow. Because they would self-perpetuate themselves year after year, sequentially. In the same bed. Am I on the right track here or not?

Brenda

Martin

Brenda

My goal is to have a sustainable garden with some crops harvestable or at least storable in the ground over winter. BTW, if anyone else interested in this topic, I am still harvesting turnip greens planted last summer. Used a clear plastic storage bin 32" x 14" purchased for under $10, turned upside-down over turnips. Makes a dandy portable cold-frame for those of us past our physical prime and without money to burn.

Many thanks to all who answered my Questions. GardenWeb rocks!

Martin

As I've used it in the past, it merely means that the bed is dedicated to alliums. Onions, garlic, whatever get grown in the same bed over and over again. The exact opposite of rotation planting.

The idea of such permanent beds goes back to the 19th century, when commercial onion breeders discovered they actually get better productivity from using the same beds over and over again.

The whole idea of crop rotation, as it turns out, has been greatly overplayed in almost all cases. There are only two reasons to rotate crops: Depletion of nutrients and soil-borne disease. In the average home garden, neither of these problems can be fixed by rotating crops. There just isn't enough room.

However, assuming you replace the nutrients (that's what compost and other amendments are all about, people), and in the absence of a heavy infestation of a soil-borne disease, there is no reason not to grow onions, or garlic, or, to put a point on it, leeks, in the same bed over and over again.

Appreciate your comment on permanent beds. My grandparents and parents kept the cold frame in the same place always. Another 'forever' bed had the various aliums.

All got yearly applications of mixed barnyard nectar and grew lushly. Few weeds.

cella jane

This year I'm also going to let the mature leeks flower as well.

I've really grown to appreciate the leek. It takes whatever winter and summer has to dish out, even being neglected by me, surrounded by weeds around their established bed, forgotten on the watering, AND YET THEY LIVE! I finally get around to chopping down the 4' tall weeds and find my leek beds still thriving. If only all our vegetables were this foolhardy!

I also found the link below which describes leek beds in more detail.