How long does it take to grow leeks?
Written by
Olivia Mitchell
Reviewed by
Prof. Martin Thorne, Ph.D.Growing leeks tests your patience, but it's worth the effort when you harvest sweet, frost-hardy stems that will elevate any winter dish. Unlike onions, they don't require any special bulb-growth magic, instead, leeks simply require time and care. I have successfully grown leeks through Midwest blizzards and Southern heat, while following three main principles of growing leeks: good soil preparation, good moisture retention of conservation, and growing at the right time.
Seedling Stage (0-8 weeks)
- Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before last frost
- Maintain 70°F (21°C) soil for germination
- Thin to 1-inch spacing after true leaves emerge
Vegetative Growth (8-15 weeks)
- Transplant outdoors at pencil thickness
- Space 6 inches apart in trenches 8 inches deep
- Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer every 3 weeks
Blanching & Maturation (15-25 weeks)
- Hill soil around stems every 14 days
- Stop watering 48 hours pre-harvest to concentrate sugars
- Check for 1-inch stem diameter before pulling
Soil matters. Leeks like a well-drained, loam soil with 30% compost. A rule of thumb I use for drainage is to pour 1 gallon (3.8L) of water in a 12-inch hole, and check if it is pooling still after an hour, if so, mix in some sand. Compacted soil will put a damper on those prized white stems!
Watering leeks is about soaking the root zone weekly - not daily fartsy-farts on the soil surface. You should collect 1 inch (2.5cm) of moisture using a rain gauge. Overhead irrigation will transmit rust fungus. An aerial irrigation system will provide moisture without contacting the leaf surfaces and will decrease disease rating by over half.
Pick them when their stems are the size of a Sharpie.Twist them off gently so that you don't break any roots.I just leave the ones I want to overwinter under straw, and they have regrown in the spring for a potato leek soup that is to die for.For all the ones you have extra of, you can put them in perforated bags, they will keep for 3 months at 32°F (0°C).
Read the full article: How to Grow Leeks: Beginner's Guide to Sweet Harvests
