Leeks are straightforward to develop from seed, and supply a flexible crop that may be braised, roasted, grilled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried or added to soups and stews. You’ll be able to even develop leeks in a big container. We requested skilled allotment grower Lee Senior to share his knowledgeable recommendation on rising this tasty member of the onion household. Listed below are his high ideas for efficiently rising leeks.

Need to give it a go? Browse our full vary of leek seeds.

How to decide on the most effective leek varieties to develop

When selecting the most effective varieties on your allotment or vegetable patch there are two key issues to contemplate. The primary is the situation. Some leeks are hardier than others and Autumn varieties are usually rather less chilly tolerant.

The second consideration is the size of the cropping season that you simply require. With cautious planning it’s fairly potential to be harvesting from late September via till Easter, giving a beautiful six months of cropping when you love your leeks!

• For an early-cropping autumn selection look no additional than Leek ‘Blue Inexperienced Autumn Neptune’.
• For sheer winter-hardiness and reliability, nothing beats the time-served Leek ‘Musselburgh’. This selection crops all through the mainstay of winter from the tip of November till early March.
• For a late cropper, I just like the aptly-named selection ‘Northern Lights’. The leaves of this leek, whereas not fairly as spectacular as the true factor, change color from inexperienced to purple as winter progresses. Extra importantly, it stands properly and may be harvested as late as the tip of April.

Sowing leek seeds indoors

Excessive yielding and rust resistant, ‘Blue Inexperienced Autumn Neptune’ is winter hardy
Picture: Leek ‘Blue Inexperienced Autumn Neptune’ Seeds from Suttons

Leeks require an extended rising season for the shanks to succeed in a good thickness. The time from seed sowing to cropping mature-sized greens is 28-32 weeks, relying on the range.

Over time, I’ve tended to sow nearly all of leek seeds indoors in a chilly greenhouse. From a late February or early March sowing, the solar may be heat sufficient to offer adequate temperatures for dependable germination. Alternatively, if the climate remains to be wintery, use a heated propagator or heat windowsill to offer the required 12-18C (54-65F) temperature. Germination takes about 14-21 days.

For those who’re rising exhibition leeks the sowing time is even earlier, from mid-January to early February. These want an extended season to develop to a larger measurement. Listed below are my ideas for sowing below cowl:

• Fill small pots, modules or deep seed trays with multipurpose or seed compost.
• Sow the seeds thinly and shallowly to a depth of 15mm (half an inch).
• Flippantly cowl them with compost or perlite and gently agency.
• After germination, develop the seedlings on by conserving them cool and out of an excessive amount of direct spring daylight.
• Sluggish and regular improvement of the younger vegetation is what you’re after. Attempt to hold them moist always.
• Harden the younger vegetation off earlier than planting them out of their closing rising positions on the finish of Might.

Sowing leek seeds open air

This uncommon selection adjustments from inexperienced to purple throughout winter
Picture: Leek ‘Northern Lights’ F1 Seeds from Suttons

There’s no level sowing seeds too early within the yr when the soil remains to be chilly and germination shall be erratic. Outside-sown leeks usually mature slightly later than vegetation began off indoors, so a mixture of each indoor and outside sowings may be helpful.

If the climate is sweet and you’ve got the area, leeks may be direct sown the place you need them to develop as soon as the soil warms up in the beginning of April. Alternatively, you can begin them in a seed mattress. Listed below are my ideas for sowing leek seeds open air:

• Put together and rake the soil to a nice tilth.
• Sow the seed thinly in a seed drill lined with multipurpose compost at a depth of 15mm (half an inch).
• Water the drill earlier than sowing if the soil is dry.
• Flippantly cowl the seed drill, with nice soil, calmly firming as you go. I’ve discovered it’s properly price masking the seed drill with a transportable cloche or fleece to help germination and defend from any chilly circumstances.
• Germination takes round 18-21 days relying on the climate. This might be longer if chilly climate strikes.
• Steadily skinny the seedlings to round 20cm (8in) aside and across the thickness of a pencil. The thinnings can be utilized for transplanting to make new rows. Alternatively they can be utilized in salads or handled as child leeks or barely bigger spring onions!
• Leeks will also be grown open air in a seedbed in the beginning of April after which transplanted to their closing rising positions. This alleviates the necessity for hardening off the seedlings.

Seed tapes are a fantastic various solution to develop leeks. They’re additionally a great way to get an extended cropping season as they comprise varieties that mature at completely different occasions. Suttons 6m leek seed tape incorporates a mess of various varieties together with ‘Musselburgh’, ‘Neptune’ and ‘Porbella’. The tapes can be utilized from early to late April and are fully fuss-free. Select a sunny or semi-shaded spot the place the soil has been ready to a nice tilth. Merely make a small groove and water properly earlier than fastidiously rolling out the tape and slicing to size. Flippantly cowl the tape and guarantee it doesn’t dry out.

Planting leeks out into their closing place

‘Beneath Zero’ is likely one of the hardiest varieties you’ll be able to develop
Picture: Leek F1 ‘Beneath Zero’ Seeds from Suttons

The perfect approach for planting out leeks is a subject that may divide opinion, and lots of allotment holders have a novel means that works for them. Your most well-liked means could differ barely out of your allotment neighbour, however that’s nice if it really works for you! Right here’s how I plant my seedlings out:

• Select a sunny web site, though leeks can address semi-shade.
• For those who’re rising multiple row, permit 30cm (12in) between rows.
• Transplant the younger vegetation after they’re round 15-20cms tall (6-8 inches).
• Make a gap round 15cms (6 inches) deep with a dibber or your finger.
• Fastidiously drop the plant inside the outlet and unfold the roots. Most significantly, fill the outlet with water to permit the roots to settle.
• Some growers backfill the holes themselves with soil, as I do, whereas others go away them to fill naturally over time. Depart the highest 8cms (3 inches) of the younger leek above the highest of the outlet. This lets you get loads of the tasty white blanched stem that each one leek-growers attempt for.

Tips on how to look after leeks

This selection has lengthy pale shanks and good resistance to leek rust
Picture: Leek F1 ‘Sprintan’ Seeds from Suttons

Leeks aren’t troublesome to develop, so long as good fundamental backyard husbandry is employed. They like a well-drained, humus-rich soil containing loads of rotted natural matter. Strive to decide on part of your allotment that hasn’t grown leeks or alliums for a number of years. If you would like lengthy, blanched stems, mound up the soil round every plant within the second half of summer time.

Maintain a watch out for slugs and snails after transplanting your leeks. They don’t appear to be the primary favorite of these pesky molluscs, however they’ll take them in moist climate if there’s nothing else round.

Leeks dislike erratic moisture ranges, particularly after they’re newly transplanted. Additionally they dislike chilly spring climate and any checks to their development. This will encourage the vegetation to bolt which is likely one of the commonest issues. If the vegetation do begin to bolt, the trick is to take away any flower spikes very early whereas they’re brief and nonetheless in bud. For those who don’t, the vegetation will go woody. For those who catch and take away the flower spikes early sufficient, the remainder of the leeks can be utilized as regular. (It’s price noting that the younger flowers are edible and have a fragile flavour.)

Rust is widespread on leeks, and wherever I’ve grown them it appears to observe me round! The so-called ‘rust’ is in reality a fungus. These tell-tale orange spots are worse when leeks are grown too shut collectively in damp, humid circumstances. Though widespread in leeks and alliums, the rust is mostly not damaging however seems ugly. Try to select resistant varieties the place potential.

Tips on how to harvest and retailer leeks

This trio of leek varieties offers an extended cropping season to be used within the kitchen
Picture: Leeks Seed Tape from Suttons

Leeks may be dug up gently utilizing a fork beneath the plant. Merely loosen the soil, tease the roots out and shake off extra soil. If in case you have loamy or free-draining soils, they will also be harvested by hand by pulling and gently twisting. It have to be mentioned that sometimes they will snap as properly, when you pull too quick, so do use this methodology with warning! I wouldn’t suggest it for heavier soils.

As leeks are basically a winter crop, there could also be occasions if you need to harvest from frozen soil. If this occurs, it’s nonetheless potential to fastidiously dig them up utilizing a spade in my expertise. But when extended and extreme frost is forecast, you might all the time dig up a number of prematurely and hold them in a container of soil within the storage to make use of in a number of days’ time. Frost itself doesn’t hurt the vegetation, in reality, it might be argued that it brings out the flavour.

Leeks may be saved within the fridge for a few weeks, though they’ll inevitably begin to go slightly softer over time.

We hope we’ve impressed you to attempt rising your individual leeks from seed. Discover extra of Lee’s sensible, hands-on, vegetable rising recommendation over at his month-to-month allotment pages.