Lovely leeks are a relatively easy vegetable to grow in the garden.
They’re resistant to late frosts and don’t need a lot of attention during the growing season.
A later crop, they’re ideal to use for autumn dishes when crops of summer vegetables start to dwindle.
A number of varieties of leeks are available, including those suitable for early cropping, like Tempest, or late cropping, including Bandit and Titan. Some leek varieties grow thicker and others taller.
Leek Musselburgh is a popular variety known for its reliability amongst many veg growers.
Leeks prefer well drained, alkaline soil, in a warm, sunny spot.
You can plant them straight into the ground or a raised bed.
Dig in some garden compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting and weed carefully.
While grow bags aren’t suitable for growing leeks due to the depth needed, you can plant leeks in deeper containers.
You may find that smaller varieties, or ‘mini’ leeks, do better grown this way.
Water young leek plants regularly, making sure they don’t dry out.
Once they are established you can water less frequently and only if there’s no rain.
Container grown leeks will need to be watered more often as the compost is more likely to dry out.
Weeds grow easily near leeks, as they don’t shade the ground from sunlight.
As weeds take much-needed nutrients from the soil this can affect healthy growing, so spend time regularly weeding.
Adding a mulch around the young plants will help deter weeds and lock the moisture into the soil.
Leeks can be prone to fungal diseases including leek rust.
This can be caused by watering from the top, for example using a hose.
So, use a watering can or spray carefully at a lower level.
Leek moth and onion fly are attracted to leeks.
If they are affecting your plants, try an insect and fly mesh for protection.
Bolting is when the leeks start to flower.
This can happen if they are planted during warm weather or too much fertiliser is added to the soil.
Remove any stalks with flowers developing as soon as you see them.
The stalks are actually edible – for example, you could add them to a stir fry.
Some people love the tenderness of early leeks.
Depending on the variety and when you planted them, these should be perfect to harvest from August on.
Later varieties can be left in the ground and harvested as needed, into early winter.
Coming across earth and grit in a dish you’ve made using leeks isn’t pleasant!
Due to their formation, leeks often have soil hidden within the leaves.
So make sure you wash them well, under running water.
Need more advice?
If you’re still unsure or need any advice, our friendly teams will be happy to chat with you and suggest which varieties would be best for you to plant, as well as when and where to plant them.
We hope you enjoy planting your leeks– but more importantly, enjoy eating them!
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