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VegetablesHardyBiennial
Leek
Leek is a long-season allium grown for sturdy stems with a long white shank and dark leafy tops. It is particularly valuable for autumn and winter harvests, when it stands well in the ground and provides fresh produce after many other crops are finished.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Biennial
Hardiness
Hardy
Planting partners
4 companions · 8 crops to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
180 days
Germination window
10–14 days
Germination temperature
10–24 °C
Plant spacing
15 cm
Row spacing
30 cm
Sowing depth
1.5 cm
Height
50 cm
Spread
15 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Notes
Sow Outdoors: Usually sown in an outdoor seedbed, then transplanted later for spacing and a longer blanched stem.
Care tips
Raise seedlings early if needed, then transplant into deep dibbed holes so stems blanch naturally as they grow. Keep the crop well watered during establishment, earth up lightly if desired for longer white stems, and watch for moth damage on young foliage.
Common pests
Leek moth, allium leaf miner, rust, onion fly.
