Growing Leeks

allium porrum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P P            

(Best months for growing Leeks in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • 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 - 20 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-18 weeks. Loosen with a fork rather than pull by hand..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots

Your comments and tips

14 Mar 21, Renata (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Home made bug spray. 3 cloves minced garlic 2 tbsp hot pepper flakes 2 tbsp dish soap 1 cup boiling water and 4 cups cold Put garlic, pepper flakes and boiling water into a glass jar and let sit 24 hours. Strain through cheese cloth or coffee filter. Add dish soap and cold water. Put into spray bottle and spray entire plant. Works well to deter most types of moth, beetles and worms. Even rabbits. I use this for years.
24 Mar 20, Audrey Dempsey (USA - Zone 5b climate)
I am in Upton, MA. My leek plants arrived today. I was planning to be away in April and May, so I had them sent early. Now I am home with trip cancelled. Can I plant the leek plants now? If not, how long can I wait? I have 50 Lancelot leek plants.
15 Mar 20, Annette (New Zealand - temperate climate)
We planted out four leeks and this morning one is completely gone and another has a small piece of stalk left. What would be eating them? Thanks
16 Mar 20, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
You probably have some hungry rabbits eating your leeks. Otherwise, when it is wet enough, slugs will chew them too.
10 Mar 20, Mike (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Have just transplanted very small leak plants four centimetres in to garden on the first of March. Does anyone know if they will mature?
11 Mar 20, Another gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Read the notes here. Transplant out at 4-6 weeks. Sounds like you are pretty close to that. Protect them the first week or two from the sun and wind while they establish themselves. A light watering each day also.
04 Mar 20, Jenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I planted a leek from a seedling in Brisbane in February. It was doing really well until this morning when it went from fine to limp and lying on the ground within the space of about half an hour. Any idea what went wrong? When i peeled the leaves back the inside was literally mush. I thought I might’ve over watered but when I dug the plant out the soil was quite dry
04 Mar 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Maybe water was caught down between the leaves and it just went rotten.
20 Apr 19, Derek R (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I have just lifted a fantastic crop of leeks. They grew so easily which I didn’t expect through the summer months but so happy they did. Would it be ok to replant leeks in the same soil for winter.
24 Mar 19, Bertie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My leeks never fatten up. I wonder why.
Showing 21 - 30 of 140 comments

Blanching is where you cover the white part of the leek (the base from where the roots start to the first leaves) and you cover it so that it minimises the about of light that gets to it. This procedures will help increase the leek's flavour and nurture the white part of the leek which is beautiful to eat. You can use cardboard toilet rolls, tubing, brown paper bags with elastic bands, or you can simply push the soil up and around the white part of the leek. This 'buries' it so that you only see the green leaves. As leeks can take a few months to grow, this blanching can be done (as a guide only) after about 3 months or so. Hope this helps.

- Michelle

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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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