Leek

Category: root-veggies

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 3-9
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun (partial shade tolerated)
  • 💧 Water: Moderate, consistent moisture is key for tender growth
  • 🌱 Soil: Rich, well-draining soil, slightly acidic to neutral pH, high in organic matter

Planting

  • 📏 Spacing: 6 inches apart, rows 12-18 inches apart
  • 📅 When To Plant: Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost or sow directly outdoors in early spring
  • 🌱 Propagation: Seeds or transplants
  • ⬇️ Depth: Plant seedlings deep (up to first leaf) or trench and gradually fill soil to blanch stems
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Carrots
    • 1: Onions
    • 2: Celery
    • 3: Beets
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:
    • 0: Legumes (beans, peas)

Care & Maintenance

  • ✂️ Pruning: None typically needed; remove flower stalks if they appear to keep plant tender
  • General: Hill soil around stems or use mulch to blanch and produce longer white stems; weed regularly

Harvesting & Usage

  • ⏰ When To Harvest: When stems are at least 1 inch thick, typically late summer to fall depending on planting time
  • ✋ How To Harvest: Lift carefully with a fork to avoid damage; trim roots and outer leaves
  • 🥫 Preservation: Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; can also be frozen after blanching

Ecological Info

  • 🐝 Pollinators: If allowed to flower, leeks attract bees and other beneficial insects
  • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance: Moderately resistant to pests due to onion-like scent
  • 🌿 Nitrogen Fixer: No