Listen to our radio show: SEEDS AND THEIR PEOPLE!
Gandana (Afghan Leek)
Allium ampeloprasum
Perennial leek from Afghanistan that grows up to three years. Used as the main flavoring in Bolani (a stuffed flat bread) and Oshaak (a dumpling stuffed with gandana and covered with sauce). Leeks or chives can substitute, but they do not have the same special flavor. Many customers have asked us for this variety, and now two years after planting seeds from a hand-sewn pouch from Mastuurah on Etsy, we have a limited amount available.
Days to maturity:
Seeds per pack: 55
Germination rate: 85% on 12/11/2024
Planting / harvesting notes
Direct sow seeds 1/4" deep and cover lightly with soil. Using a sharp tool, harvest at 8-10 inches tall and leave 2 centimeters of stem to regrow.
Seed keeping notes
Like many other Alliums, Gandana is biennial, and goes to flower and seed in its second year only. Separate leeks of different varieties by 800 feet to 1/2 a mile. Allow the flower heads to dry on the plant and the seeds to develop. Harvest the seed head when the seeds just start to fall on their own and place them upside-down in a paper bag. Many seeds will fall in the process of collecting the seed heads this way. Rough up the seed heads to remove the seeds and sift out the seeds from the chaff with a strainer or screen. Winnow gently with your breath, the wind, or a fan, and store seeds in a well-labeled, air-tight, screw top jar in a cool, dark place such as a basement or closet.
