JAUNE DU POITOU LEEK

Allium ampeloprasum

ORGANIC

Unique among leeks, Jaune du Poitou was described by Vilmorin and others as being unusually large, tender and early. Shanks blanch to a delicate yellow, or jaune in French. In his book, ‘100 Vegetables and Where They Came From’, William Woys Weaver offers an account of finding these spectacular yard-tall leeks with golden yellow leaves in the garden of a tiny seed shop in Alsace. Their availability in the US has been sadly limited until very recently.

Leeks should be started indoors, as early as January. Tuck seeds just beneath the surface of moist soil in 72 cell flats and cover with plastic to maintain moisture. Kept warm (around 65°F) and moist in bright light, seeds will germinate within a week or two. Remove plastic once most seeds have germinated. Fertilize weekly with dilute fish and seaweed extracts. Transplant into the garden as soon as soil can be worked. For long blanched shanks, trench before transplanting, filling in as leeks grow (as you would with potatoes and asparagus). These leeks benefit tremendously from weekly doses of compost and organic liquid fertilizers. They will hold in the garden at least through late autumn, but rarely through winter in the Midwest and Northeast.

Packet contains at least 100 seeds.