CearaQC
February 18th, 2008, 05:50 PM
Weird request, but it's the only place on the web where I know so many Canadians frequent.
I'm looking for the Wild Leek plants. I know where I can get some seeds, but holy crap does it ever take forever to grow enough to be harvested. It's kinda the same type of waiting period as for say... asparagus - 3 to 4 years from seed. It could take up to two years to sprout if sown outdoors, but that's easily remedied with the refrigerator trick. (90 days cold, 90 days warm, and so on until it sprouts)
So I'm hoping someone, somewhere out there in Canada can assist me in getting a clump. I have the perfect spot for them out in the woods behind the house (our property that we make sure doesn't get trampled or frequented by others), where there's good shade and moisture under some trees near a small brook and where the ground is always moist. Which is perfect for the wild leek.
The problem is, it's illegal in Quebec to sell this plant because of it's protective status. But it's not illegal to trade or receive as a gift, or to even have possession of it. In some places they still allow people to dig up the wild leek, but are limited to 50 per person.
It grows wild in parts of Quebec and Ontario, as well as lots of places in the USA. But live plants can't be shipped across the border without a phytocertificate.
The wild leeks will be ready to harvest usually at the end of April and beginning of May in Canada.
If you've never eaten this plant, you're missing out! It's sooooo good. *drool*
There's a private farm about 2 hours N of Toronto that has a huge area full of wild leeks. They have a gourmet party there every year but it's pretty pricey, but people get to go out with shovels and harvest leeks off his property.
http://www.thecitykitchen.ca/Places_Events_Stadtlander_at_Eigensinn_Farm.htm
Anyway, here are a couple more links on the wild leek.
http://web.syr.edu/~mhough/A/Allium_tricoccum.html
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q44/DockPotato/Leeks.jpg
I'm looking for the Wild Leek plants. I know where I can get some seeds, but holy crap does it ever take forever to grow enough to be harvested. It's kinda the same type of waiting period as for say... asparagus - 3 to 4 years from seed. It could take up to two years to sprout if sown outdoors, but that's easily remedied with the refrigerator trick. (90 days cold, 90 days warm, and so on until it sprouts)
So I'm hoping someone, somewhere out there in Canada can assist me in getting a clump. I have the perfect spot for them out in the woods behind the house (our property that we make sure doesn't get trampled or frequented by others), where there's good shade and moisture under some trees near a small brook and where the ground is always moist. Which is perfect for the wild leek.
The problem is, it's illegal in Quebec to sell this plant because of it's protective status. But it's not illegal to trade or receive as a gift, or to even have possession of it. In some places they still allow people to dig up the wild leek, but are limited to 50 per person.
It grows wild in parts of Quebec and Ontario, as well as lots of places in the USA. But live plants can't be shipped across the border without a phytocertificate.
The wild leeks will be ready to harvest usually at the end of April and beginning of May in Canada.
If you've never eaten this plant, you're missing out! It's sooooo good. *drool*
There's a private farm about 2 hours N of Toronto that has a huge area full of wild leeks. They have a gourmet party there every year but it's pretty pricey, but people get to go out with shovels and harvest leeks off his property.
http://www.thecitykitchen.ca/Places_Events_Stadtlander_at_Eigensinn_Farm.htm
Anyway, here are a couple more links on the wild leek.
http://web.syr.edu/~mhough/A/Allium_tricoccum.html
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q44/DockPotato/Leeks.jpg