Gadenin日本語Get the appThe leek year at a glance
Leeks occupy the ground for a long time, so a little planning pays off. In cool and cold climates the season runs from a late winter sowing under cover to harvests that start in late summer and can continue into the following spring. In hot-summer climates, the same pattern shifts into the cool months. The table below shows the cool-climate version; adjust it by your own last and first frosts.
| Season | Main job | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter | Sow under cover | Trays or modules indoors or in a cold frame |
| Early to mid spring | Grow on seedlings | Trim tops if they flop; outdoor seedbed sowing in mild areas |
| Late spring to early summer | Transplant | Pencil-thick seedlings into deep dibbed holes or a trench |
| Summer | Feed, water, blanch | Side-dress, keep moist, earth up or collar in stages |
| Late summer to autumn | Harvest early types | Lift by size; watch for rust and leaf miners |
| Winter to early spring | Harvest late types | Pull as needed before flower stalks form |
In hot-summer, mild-winter climates, sow in late summer to early autumn, transplant as the weather cools, and harvest through winter and early spring before the heat returns.
Early versus late cultivars
Leek cultivars fall roughly into two groups. Early, sometimes called summer or autumn leeks, grow fast and make long, slender stems with paler, more upright leaves. They are ready first but are less cold hardy and are best used before winter sets in. Late, or winter, leeks grow more slowly and make shorter, thicker stems with darker blue-green leaves, often fanned out. They are the ones that stand through hard frost and fill the gap in the coldest months.
Seed catalogs usually say which group a cultivar belongs to. Familiar names include 'King Richard' among the early types and 'Musselburgh', 'American Flag' and 'Bleu de Solaise' among the hardy late ones. Growing one of each is the simplest way to have leeks across most of the year.
| Trait | Early leeks | Late (winter) leeks |
|---|---|---|
| Stem | Long and slender | Shorter and thicker |
| Leaves | Paler green, upright | Dark blue-green, often fanned |
| Cold tolerance | Moderate | Very hardy |
| Use | Late summer and autumn | Late autumn through winter |
Fitting leeks into the garden plan
Because leeks go in late and stay late, they pair well with early crops. A bed that grew early peas, salad or new potatoes can often take leeks afterward if the leeks were raised in a tray or seedbed while the first crop finished. Plan rotation too: leeks belong with onions, garlic and shallots, and moving the whole onion family to a fresh bed each year reduces the build-up of soil-borne problems such as white rot.
- Choose your cultivars in winter Decide how many early and late leeks you want and order fresh seed, since leek seed loses viability quickly.
- Sow on time Count back from your planned planting date so the seedlings reach pencil thickness when the bed is free.
- Stagger plantings if you can Two plantings a few weeks apart, or a mix of early and late types, spread the harvest over a longer period.
- Lift the last before bolting Clear remaining overwintered leeks in spring as soon as you see flower stalks starting, and use the bed for a summer crop.