How to grow Leek

Hill up for blanching. Keep soil moist but don’t overwater. Takes some shade. Takes light freeze.

Hardiness varies depending on the variety.
A good way of blanching a leek is to cover the stem with the cardboard tube for kitchen paper or toilet roll. It does not blanch it in a professional way but it certainly stops a lot of soil getting between the leaves

Leek does not germinate when too much heat is applied. For best result, place your seeded container on bottom heat for 2 days and remove from heat.
In mild climates sow a row of seeds directly into the soil in the early spring, Sow thinly

Look to ensure a distance 0.39 inches (1.0 cm) between seeds when sowing - bury at a depth of at least 0.78 inches (2.0 cm) deep. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 16°C / 61°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Leek about 56 days before your last frost date .

Make hole with dibber 6 in or 15 cm deep and place plant into each hole then fill with water. DO NOT FILL HOLE WITH SOIL.

Or dig a trench about 6 in or 15 cm deep, plant young plants at the bottom and let nearby cultivation fill in the trench.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Leek is a very hardy plant.

Stick your dibber into the ground next to the stalk and carefully lift the leek out of the soil. Don’t pull them, they will break!

Leeks can be left in the ground over winter and and harvested gradually.
If left to the spring they will begin to flower and the seeds can be collected

Collect seeds from flowers in the second year.

Seed viability is four years.

These estimates for how long Leek takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Our when to plant Leek estimates are relative to your last frost date.

Garden leek

Allium porrum

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants