How to Grow Leeks
Growing Leeks = Moderately Easy
Growing leeks in your vegetable garden is simpler than you might think, and they will grow in all but the hottest gardening climates.
For Growing Leeks:
- Long growing season (5 months).
- Well drained soil.
- Plenty of sunshine.
- Before planting, enrich the soil with compost, well rotted manure, or fertilizer.
- Use organic mulch around established leek plants to help keep the roots cool, the soil retain moisture, and the weeds away.
How to Grow Leeks:
- Test the soil. Soils with pH levels of 6.0-7.0 are best for growing leeks. (Improve the soil, if necessary.)
- Start your leek seedlings indoors in late winter.
- When the seedlings are as thick around as a pencil, they're ready to harden off.
- Harden the seedlings by gradually introducing them to the outside & sunshine, over a two week period of time.
- Plant the leeks in the garden in rows that are 8 inches deep, placing the seedlings so that there's 4 inches of space between them. Fill in around them with soil.
- Keep the soil moist but not sopping wet.
- As the leeks grow, you will want to keep hilling soil up around them.
- Once a month, water with a liquid fertilizer such as compost tea, liquid kelp or fish emulsion.
- In the middle of summer, cut off the top half of the leek's leaves, but no more than half. This forces the edible root to grow larger.
- Harvest at will, as the younger leeks are the most tender. Harvest leeks by simply pulling them from the ground.