Posts Tagged ‘growing leeks’

Leeks are hardy, often trouble free & offer beautiful long stems from Autumn to Spring – at a time when other harvests are lacking. Now is the time to start sowing them so here are a few top tips on sowing leeks and how to take care of them until harvest.

Leeks are hardy, and in most regions, they will sit through frost and snow, then be lifted as needed. You can prolong the harvest period by selecting different varieties. Early season leeks aren’t as hardy but will be ready to harvest in Autumn, mid/late season leeks will give you smooth stems for winter and spring.

Grow leeks in a sunny, open position in well-dug soil that’s had plenty of organic matter added to it.

Fungal disease rust can be a problem with leeks, to help combat it ensure that they are planted with plenty of air movement between them and look out for varieties described as rust resistant.

Early varieties of leeks can be sown under cover from late winter, others following on from mid Spring.

Leeks are usually sown in pots or trays of potting soil, then transplanted into their final position when they are big enough.

Sowing is easy – sieve potting soil into pots or trays, gently tamp down the soil. Then sow the seeds very thinly so they fall about an inch apart. You can also sow two seeds per cell in a plug tray. Cover them over with a thin layer of more potting soil. Keep the potting soil moist as the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow on.

Early sowings should be placed on a sunny windowsill or into a greenhouse where the warmth will encourage quicker growth.

As the seedlings grow, you can separate the seedlings out and pop them into individual pots.

When planting young leeks, make sure you’ve acclimatised them to outdoor conditions by leaving them outside for increasingly long periods over the course of 1 or 2 weeks.

They’re ready to transplant when they are around 6 – 8 inches. Begin by digging holes in the well-dug soil, they need to be the same height as the leek seedlings. Make one hole for each plant – the holes should be about 6 inches apart, with 1 foot between rows. Carefully remove the leeks from their pots and tease the roots apart, place them into the holes. Water the holes to the brim and leave them to drain. Don’t fill them in with soil.

Leeks are often easy to care for – water them in dry weather and keep the soil between the leeks weed free.

This is the beginning of the leek sowing process, the video below continues to discuss how to care for your leeks and how to harvest them when it’s time. If you have any further advice for growing leeks then please do let us know in the comments or on our social media.