Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Leeks

Elegant in the garden and handy in the kitchen, onion-related leeks are worth the effort

Marianne Lipanovich

Houzz Contributor. I'm a California-based writer and editor. While most of my projects are garden-based, you might also find be writing about home projects and classical music. Away from the computer, I'm found in the garden (naturally), on my bike, or ice-skating outdoors (yes, that is possible in California). I'm also willing to taste-test anything that's chocolate.

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These tall, stately onion relatives are known for their role in soups, but savvy cooks add them to other dishes as well. They’re handsome plants that are worth growing in your fall or spring garden, but plan your garden space with them in mind. They take at least 90 days to mature, and that’s just for the baby leeks; otherwise you’re looking at four months to more than half of the year. You’ll also need to continually mound soil around them to keep the lower part of the stalk white. And when you do harvest, there will be a bare spot in the garden. However, they love the cooler weather and can handle the cold.

More: How to grow cool-season vegetables

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When to plant: Because of the long growing season, starting with seedlings is preferable. If you do want to grow leeks from seed, start about six weeks earlier than you want to set them out. They are truly fall vegetables when it comes to planting date. You can set them out in spring on the first frost date in areas where summers are mild. Otherwise set them out in the fall so they will be mature in spring.

Days to maturity: 90 to more than 200

Light requirement: Full sun, though needs some shade in very hot summers

Water requirement: Regular watering

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Planting and care: Transplant seedlings into regular, rich soil about 5 inches deep and at least 2 feet apart (4 feet apart is probably better). Keep the soil consistently moist and fertilize it every few weeks. Pests are relatively rare, though you may have problems with thrips.

As the plants grow, mound soil around the bottoms to blanch the stalks. Keep the soil just below the leaf joints so it doesn’t find its way into the shanks.

Harvest: When the stems reach 1/2 inch to 2 inches thick, gently work them out of the soil. You’ll probably need a spading fork, as they run deep. In mild-winter climates, you can set out successive plantings to continue harvesting through winter. In cold-winter climates, you’ll want to finish harvesting before the ground freezes.

More: How to Grow Vegetables in Fall and Spring