How to grow leeks from seed

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How to grow leeks from seed

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Saturday, 9 March 2019 at 5:03 pm

Find out how to grow leeks from seed in our step-by-step guide.

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Home-grown leeks are far superior to those bought in shops and versatile in the kitchen. They're easy to grow from seed, and if you sow at intervals from February to June, you can harvest them from late August, through winter until the following February.

What to plant in August

Follow our step-by-step guide to growing leeks from seed, below.

You Will Need

Leek seeds
Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
Seed tray or small pots
Garden fork
Garden string
Dibber
Watering can
Fleece

Step 1

Sowing leek seed

Fill pots or seed trays with good quality, multi-purpose compost and firm gently. Scatter the seed thinly on the surface, cover with a few millimetres of compost, water and keep moist.

Step 2

Transplanting young leeks

Pot on seedlings individually into small pots or do it the 'cheat's' way: remove the pot and pull the rootball apart, and place it in a larger part-filled pot and add compost between the seedlings.

Step 3

Forking soil to remove clumps and stones

Fork soil to remove all debris and large stones and break up any large clods. If necessary, incorporate some well-rotted manure or garden compost to improve soil texture and fertility.

Step 4

Transplanting leeks

Transplant the leeks into the ground when they're about 15-20cm tall. Use a broom handle to make holes 15-20cm deep and about 15cm apart. Leave about 30cm between rows.

Step 5

'Puddling in' leeks

Carefully lower one leek plant into each hole, twisting each between your fingers to get the roots in. Check the roots are in the bottom of the hole and water well so soil is washed in. Cover the crop with well-pegged-down horticultural fleece.

Step 6

Harvesting leeks

On a heavy soil, use a fork to lift leeks when harvesting. On light soils you may be able to pull direct. For best freshness and flavour, lift leeks from the veg plot when you need them.

Protect against leek moth

Cover the developing crop with well-pegged-down fleece from the moment you plant it. This avoids infestations of leek moth, whose caterpillars cause foliage dieback and low cropping.

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