Garden calendar for the kitchen garden - vegetables and herbs. See what to plant right now and for next month.

Growing Leeks

(allium porrum)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
	S	S	T	T			S	S	T	T	T

(Best months for planting Leeks in Australia - temperate regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings.

Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 10 - 15 cm apart
Harvest in 15-18 weeks.
Compatible with: Carrots

Almost ready to use
Leek

A member of the onion family. Looks rather like a large scallion or spring onion Grow in seed trays or punnets until about 20cm (8in) tall. They look rather like large blades of grass at that stage. Then plant out into trenches or individual deep holes. The aim is to blanch the stems while the plants are growing. Trenches should be about 20-25cm (8-10in) deep. Set the seedlings 10-15 cm (4 - 6in) apart then add enough soil to just cover the roots. As the plants grow fill the trench. Otherwise - make holes with a dibble or suitable stick 15 cm (6 in) deep and 3-4 cm (1.5 - 2 in) wide. Drop a seedling in each and water enough to cover the roots with soil. As they grow, watering will gradually fill the hole.

Leeks prefer moist clay soils. Keep soil moist and loose, mulch will help.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Leeks

Trim off the roots and any damaged leaves.
Young ones can be used whole with some of the green leaves
Wash thoroughly as the earth tends to get inside.
Chop and fry in butter (or olive oil) until tender.
Can be added to casserole meals, allowing time to cook through.
Leek and mushroom make a tasty combination for a tart filling.

Your comments and tips

15 Jan 12, Jo (Australia - temperate climate): When can I plant parsnips in Perth? I sowed seeds in the garden in October and nothing came up!!
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14 Jan 12, Anna (Australia - temperate climate): We have always grown leeks here (Central Coast hinterland) and they always take forever to grow to full size, they are not a plant for the impatient gardner!!!
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13 Jan 12, Narelle (Australia - temperate climate): I grow leeks from seed, but they take sooooooooo long to get anywhere near a size I can use (about 9 months). Is this normal or is something the matter? Any advice on best conditions to grow leeks greatly appreciated.
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12 Nov 11, Fae (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Are leeks edible when the seed head forms. Should I cut off the green stalks at ground level and let it reshoot for the next crop
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07 Dec 11, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate): Too woody to eat by then .. I let them flower for the following year's seeds
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20 Sep 11, New gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have planted trays of seedling leeks but as they grow should I thin them out so that they each have space around them or do I leave them as a little bunch as per the seedling tray? Help!
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09 Aug 11, Joe Cassar (Australia - temperate climate): I live on the south coast, Sanctuary Point in the Jervis Bay area. I put leek seeds early winter and probably think now that I should have put the seeds in around late summer or early autumn. When is the best time to grow leek?
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02 Jan 11, Chris Morton (Australia - cool/mountain climate): My leeks have started to develop seed heads. At the same time they are also producing little bulbs off the side of the main bulb in the soil. These bulbs will be very numerous and can (I think) be used to produce the next season's crop. This assumption is based on how we have used the many bulbs found growing in the vegie garden we have inhertited. Are these normal leeks? Do people normally use these bulbs to produce the next crop? Would love to know more about growing leeks.
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27 Apr 11, Peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate): We bought three leeks from a fruit shop a few years ago. I took the pups off and planted them ,3 years later we had at least 3 rows and were sick to death of eating them. We did grow some more about a year later but have never come across this suckering type since.
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21 May 11, Mukluk (Australia - cool/mountain climate): It sounds like you had a perennial leek (also known as multiplyer leek). They easily grow from pups/offshoots and do not often set viable seed. That is the variety that I currently grow as they are simple and if I forget about them will look after themselves. I like perennial vegetables as I do not have to worry about saving seed and possible hybridisation.
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See planting calendar for these countries and climate zones

Australia - arid, Australia - cool/mountain, Australia - sub-tropical, Australia - temperate, Australia - tropical, New Zealand - cool/mountain, New Zealand - sub-tropical, New Zealand - temperate, South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical, South Africa - Humid sub-tropical, South Africa - Semi-arid, South Africa - Summer rainfall, United Kingdom - cool/temperate, United Kingdom - warm/temperate, USA - Central West Coast, USA - Maritime Northwest, USA - Mid-Atlantic, USA - North East, USA - South East and Gulf States, USA - South West, USA - Upper Midwest

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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