How to grow LEEKS

How to grow Leeks. A look at the process of growing and harvesting leeks. Click SHOW MORE for more details, resources and info.
#homegrown #leeks #gardening
About Us.
I share our organic homestead, called Byther Farm, with my loving partner, Mr J and our cat, Monty.
We are a fifty-something couple who live on a smallholding in Monmouthshire, Wales. We are going green and creating a gentler, cleaner and more healthy life for our family.
There is a large organic kitchen garden with no dig gardening raised beds and young food forest in which to grown our fruit and vegetables.
I'm currently exploring permaculture farming as a way of life.
We keep hybrid chickens and also have breeding flocks of Jersey Giants and Australorp chickens and Aylesbury ducks.
Music
'Breathe' by Kafkadiva. www.kafkadiva.com
Other music by www.EpidemicSound.com

[@suzie2080]

I have wanted to try growing leeks for some time. What a great teaching video. I'll pull this video up next year and try this for the 2019 garden. I have tried to grow strawberries twice in the last few years. The first year I covered them with straw from the chickens for the winter. When Spring came and I pulled off the straw it stuck and totally ruined my beautiful berries. Last year I had beautiful strawberries with many runners. Again when I pulled off just plain straw they were totally dead. What am I doing wrong?!

[@LizZorab]

Hi Suzie, I don't use straw except occasionally to put underneath the ripening berries and then only for a week or two because here the slugs will make a home in the straw very quickly. Strawberries need sunshine to ripen so leave them uncovered and you may get better results. Some people will put netting over the ripening plants (which I may do) to discourage wild birds from eating the strawberries before we can get to them. Good luck this year, please let me know how you get on!

[@suzie2080]

I put the straw over them to cover them in winter. We are located in the northern part of the U.S. I took the straw off in the Spring. Sorry I didn't explain better.

[@LizZorab]

I've popped a message on my FB group page asking for advice/help from fellow growers in northern US. Hopefully someone will be able to offer you some insight, so it's worth keep checking back here for any answers :-)

[@tannenbaum3444]

You're smothering them, straw, leaves etc. will matt down and they are moist, hence rotting the crowns. Uncover them immediately after the thaw, don't rake, you will damage the crowns.

[@tessasilberbauer6219]

Strawberries want to grow over mulch - straw or plastic - but that's under the plants. For overwintering it would be better to place fleece over the plants so they don't get tangled in straw by spring. Good luck

[@AndyCabernet]

great video - thanks Liz - look forward to planting these next spring

[@PracticalModernHomestead]

Thank you, Liz! So you sow your leeks in Feb, March in the greenhouse. I let one leek go to seed each year and I have volunteer leeks ever since.

[@LizZorab]

That's a great idea Angela! Over this weekend I've been writing a series of posts in a FB group about minimising the workload in the garden by letting things go to seed. We hard and fast 'grow in straight lines' people find it hard to move towards allowing plants to seed themselves freely everywhere, but I'm slowly getting there!

[@PracticalModernHomestead]

Liz Zorab - Byther Farm I can admit that I learned this quite by accident! We went on vacation one year and I had not harvested all of them before I left. When I came back they had such pretty flowers, I left them, which led to a nice little patch the following year. The tricky part is keeping Charlie from pulling them as weeds in early spring!

[@LizZorab]

No worry of that here, Mr J leaves me to do the weeding so that those little accidents don't happen :-)

[@leewillis2908]

I know this is an older video, but I’m surprised you don’t use the scapes, they’re so delicious!

[@rosiabbott253]

Thank you so much for a good explanation...I kept hearing about planting out when pencil thick...but nobody but you has explained how to get them pencil thick. I wondered if to re-pot them...so this is great to know that I can plant them out first in clumps (assuming the frost has past - in Buckinghamshire!) then separate them and plant out in final position. Brilliant explanation on how to grow on and plant out and then harvest. Most comprehensive.

[@WhippoorwillHoller]

I don't know anybody here in Arkansas that grow Leeks, but I'm giving it a try! Thanks Liz!

[@LizZorab]

I suspect it's too warm in Arkansas for leeks, try planting them in a shady place and a breezy one if you have it!

[@MaddietheMorganMare]

I'm in Oklahoma which is right next door to Arkansas....you can indeed grow leeks but you plant them put in early fall or late summer. They overwinter well here.

[@marilynheinrichs7287]

I grow leeks in Oklahoma. I winter sow and then they grow all spring and summer, and I harvest fall and winter.

[@tannenbaum3444]

They can be planted individually already when they are much smaller than pencilnsticks, as shown in your video with clumps...this will eliminate double transplant and unnecessary transplant shock. We have a 3-1/2 month growing cycle here in Minnesota were we plant middle to end of May for anything Onion...can't do it sooner because we still get frost in May. The transplant of the smaller plant works well and I get a great harvest. Just wet down the clump really good and the individual plants can be separated quite easily, then plant as you show.

[@Annie.xx-xx]

I can't wait for my leeks to get that big. All those other vegetables in your video look so big and healthy. Wow those peas. That's an impressive yield. Leek n potatoe soup is my favourite meal. 💟🍞🍜🍜🌱🌝

[@AkSonya1010]

Thank you! Excellent job, I don't know why more people don't take the time to do videos from beginning to end. This is what people really want to see. I have wanted to do leaks but wasn't sure how to do it or what kind of time frame. I really appreciate that you added your timeline of when you planted and when you transplanted, I only wish you had put in your video when you harvested them. I live in Anchorage, Alaska directly North of you and interestingly enough it looks like my timing is exactly the same. I would have thought to plant in late March based on what the package says but thanks to you I am going to plant this weekend, mid January. I want to have a little more time then February as you suggested. You have a new follower

[@janeymckay1966]

I like your unfussy, informative presentation. really helpful!

[@LifeGoesNorth]

Now I’m craving some potato leek soup! I’ve never grown leeks. I’d like to add them to the garden next year. Thanks for the inspiration Liz. Have a great day.

[@LizZorab]

They are great cool weather plants, I wonder if they'll stand in the ground nicely in Alaska, please let me know how you get on!

[@BangFarelCHANEL]

amazingly fertile onion plants greetings from Indonesian farmers👍🤝

[@Annie.xx-xx]

This is my second time watching. So glad you mentioned this one. Thank you liz 💟💟

[@foxglove8836]

Glad you did that as my leeks turn out , like spring onions lol. haven't grown any this year but my other onions are doing great.Watched your other vlog 02:12 this morning before the dogs got taken down the woods. Hope you have had a great weekend.

[@LizZorab]

Hi Linda, It's been a hot weekend and it's got the better of me, I've been a grumpy girl this afternoon :-( I'm cheering up now that I've come inside and I'm catching up with everyone here - yay!

[@marilynheinrichs7287]

The green tops are very delicious. Very thinly sliced short strips cook in butter and cook up with spaghetti noodles and parmesan cheese. Yummy!!

[@livableincome]

I agree. And use them in leek and potato soup. I only cut off the dry tips. If there are any.

[@carolparrish194]

I have been a subscriber for over a year now but I never saw your video on leeks before. I am glad that I found it. I had many questions on growing leeks.Just wondering if you ever save the seeds. I was so anxious about growing leeks because I have never successfully grown them before but I recently learned that they are related to elephant garlic. Guess what? I have been successfully growing elephant garlic for many years. Now I know a lot more about the growing cycle of leeks and not worried about failure. Loved the video.

[@robinshealthkwest6848]

Excellent video, I had no idea how to grow leeks , I have a few planted this year and it’s my first year to try them , so this video is perfect. Pole beans and drying beans , can you eat the beans when they are young? And brassicas , how to grow them and keep them from getting worms in them Thank you Liz

[@LizZorab]

Hi Robin, I'm sure I can pull together a brassica video, much as this one was taken from a year or so of video clips and I'll see how well I can do with a beans video too. Thank you for the suggestions.

[@edieboudreau9637]

Robin Knight yes you can eat the beans when they're young. Always enjoyed the early pickings to encourage the beans to grow more.

[@jacquelinethomson2722]

Well done! I learned a lot about planting leeks! Thank you

[@LizZorab]

Hi Jacqueline, glad that this video was helpful!

[@johnoneill8211]

I use the leaves for stock then compost them.

[@bensgrammy1]

Such lovely leeks - now I am hungry for Leek and Potato Soup.

[@LizZorab]

Hi JoAnn, I've just lifted the last of the leeks that I sowed in 2018, they are such a great crop for standing in the ground all winter here.

[@whatisgoingonineedtoknow.]

That was excellent Liz. ☺👍

[@LizZorab]

Thank you!

[@jodysappington7008]

thank you for sharing...

[@Michigansnowpony]

Hi Liz, I've never grown leeks, but I do love a good pot of creamy leek soup in the Fall. I didn't know how much growing them differed from growing onions. Great video how-to. I am going to try them next year as I missed the window of opportunity to get them started this year. We're running terribly behind this year due to a very late Spring and now, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN! Ugh!

[@LizZorab]

The rain will help the plants to grow beautifully when you can get them into the ground (looking for a positive), plus it means you don't have to water them at the moment (I'm clutching at straws now!). :-)

[@dollyperry3020]

This is my first year growing leeks and I skipped one of the steps you did. I grew them to six inches and then set them in the individual holes. I'm curious to see how they do! Question: You told us that you grew three varieties...Did you keep track of which leeks came from which variety so you would know which ones you like best/taste best etc?

[@walnuttreehomestead3149]

It my first year also growing leeks tomorrow they are going to be transplanted into the nursery bed thanks cor the great video

[@LizZorab]

No I didn't keep track Dolly, in theory they were early, mid and late season varieties, but they all looked very similar. One was noticeably shorter and fatter than the others. I've only used two varieties this year and mixed the seeds in the tray so there'll be no way of telling. Next year perhaps I'll do a taste trial :-)

[@lorraineg8134]

Great video Liz. I grew leeks for the first time last year, i did them late . They are small , but i intend to do again this year. Thanks for great advice.

[@LizZorab]

I loved making this video, I pulled together all the snippets of leek info from throughout the year. I am trying to also do this for other vegetables to build a series of how to grow videos :-)

[@lorraineg8134]

@@LizZorab well its perfect , thankypu for making such a effort.

[@livableincome]

So is the reason you harvest them instead of keeping them in the ground until needed because you want to avoid the flowering core taking over? I have a lot of leeks but was hoping they would keep getting fatter and we don't have a freezer. Thought I would harvest as needed. It is now mid November.

[@SuffolkSusie]

Such a great video from the past I stumbled upon. Thank you. I'm growing leeks for the 1st time and was just about to transplant seedlings from the main tray to their own individual nursery pots and I see - it is not necessary or probably shouldn't. I really don't know. I'll let them keep going where they are until I can get them outside. I'm hoping March. It's below 20 deg F about 7 deg C but going up 30 degrees by Monday.

[@LizZorab]

Hi Susie, leeks are pretty good at staying put until you are ready for them to go outside. Last year at transplanting time I left a load of them in a bucket of water, where they sat for the rest of the summer and I gave them to a friend in early autumn. He tells me that they grew fine and he's had a lovely harvest from them - nature just wants to grow!

[@TXDHC]

Wow! I never knew they were that easy to start from seed! Going to def get some!

[@LizZorab]

Leeks are a cooler weather crop or they tend to run to seed fairly quickly. They may be worth growing later in the year in Texas and having them grow during your winter months.

[@TXDHC]

@@LizZorab thanks! Yes, we've only lived in TX for 3 years and since I'm in a mild zone 8b/9a, I've found many things do better in my fall/winter garden. I will make a mental 🤣 note...a short pencil is better than a long memory! Note to self: write it in your garden diary!

[@iangeorgehardwick6882]

Liz. You need to make a temporary work bench. That you can just sit on top of the end of the pallet. x

[@AkSonya1010]

funny I was thinking that too. At least put up a 2x4 to cut on. :-)

[@redcurrant2023]

Thanks for this video Liz. Just getting ready to sow my first ever leek seeds. With the current ups and downs in temperature I think I will just wait till the end of the month. No heating are available

[@LizZorab]

Hi, I think waiting is a good move, I won't be sowing until late Feb or even early March as we have some very cold weather forecast for the next couple of weeks. I hope they grow well for you!

[@jet8485]

Thanx for this video 👍 I heard you can plant the stem with roots again after cutting them off? Saves you a lot of work seeding etc?

[@LizZorab]

You can certainly do that with perennial leeks, like Babbington leeks. I don't know how it would work with an annual leek as I imagine it would produce a flower stem upon regrowing.

[@ericaslittlewelshgarden]

I must grow leeks this year!

[@sherriek3476]

Rhubarb could you please do a video on it i have the worse time getting it to grow ...ty ..i love your gardens beautiful

[@LizZorab]

Yes Sherrie, what area of the world are you in and do you know what zone it is?

[@sherriek3476]

Liz Zorab - Byther Farm im in boston ma ,not sure of the zone ...i would love the help thou i go crazy every year with it i try try again but nothing ...

[@edieboudreau9637]

Sherrie k in Boston you need it in a sunny protected area... Protected from winters icicles, ice dam fallings off roof etc. And heavy winter mulching for protection. I used straw & leaves as it was what I had.

[@LizZorab]

Thanks for the help and advice Edie!

[@edieboudreau9637]

Liz Zorab - Byther Farm no problem. Used to live there long ago.

[@edieboudreau9637]

Lovely vid.

[@LizZorab]

Thank you Edie :-)

[@katielakefarmandcottages5685]

I planted my leeks out today. 💕

[@LizZorab]

Fingers crossed for a bumper crop for you!

[@shazzam532]

HI Liz, my leeks grew really well and are fairly large but I havent been able to use any of them. They were SO dirty. I dug them up recently and some of them look like they had gone a bit brown, maybe they were in too long, but most of them were a slimy dirty bunch and even had small slugs between the layers of leek. unsure what I am doing wrong. Some of the other allotment holders put a black plastic pipe around them which I did to some of them but they were still too dirty to use. Not like your lovely clean ones you dug up.

[@LizZorab]

Hi Sharon, I think the wet weather is to blame this year. Many of my leeks are also struggling with that sliminess, slugs and now rust too. The harvesting in this video was done in 2018 after that hot summer and the ground was perhaps not as saturated as it is this year. I've also decided to make sure that I grow them where the air can circulate well around them to help reduce the amount of humidity they have around them during autumn and winter, this year my leeks are tucked into a corner near a hedge and I had wondered if that has had an impact on them. Hey-ho, I'll be picking around the soggy bits of my leeks and salvaging what there is to eat and there's always next year!

[@shazzam532]

@@LizZorab Thanks for that. I was thinking I may grow them on a mound and make sure I mulch them really well. Long time away but I will let you know how I get on. Thanks .

[@livableincome]

I just watched a cook on youtube deal with them. She rinses them a bit, then cuts them in rounds and puts the rounds in bowls of water. Then you can see the dirt better and just clean each round.

[@livableincome]

@@LizZorab Interesting. We are having outragiously wet weather. Far more than usual. Called "rain rivers" ot some such thing here on the "wet" coast of Canada. Global warming has made it even wetter! Guess I better check my leeks.

[@gailreese4699]

Do you dehydrate any of your leaks and onions?

[@LizZorab]

I don't dehydrate anything much except for a few beans each year and then it's usually just to be able to use them as seed the next year. I tend to preserve by freezing.

[@CADcougar]

You said you freeze leeks for winter eating. Please explain. Can you just cut them into 8mm rounds and freeze in a sealed plastic bag, or are additional steps required?

[@LizZorab]

Hi, I just chop them into pieces, sometimes finely as you suggest sometimes 8-10cms long and put them into a bag and freeze.

[@gailreese4699]

Could you keep the seeds you cut off and re grow them?

[@LizZorab]

If the plants were left in the ground for the flowers to fully form and set seed, then yes! And they are beautiful flowers too.

[@ferniek5000]

We dehydrate leeks slices for great flavor and texture in soups and powder some too for seasoning.

[@LizZorab]

What a good idea!

[@ferniek5000]

@@LizZorab P.S. Your videos are keeping me with a hope of spring durring an upstate NY snowstorm. Thanks for all the great information and good vibrations :)

[@kirstenwhitworth8079]

I've never grown leeks, but I love to eat them. Are they not suitable for mulching? I ask because I live in a very dry climate, and mulch pretty much everything. Thanks for the video!

[@LizZorab]

Kirsten, if it's also very warm or hot where you live, you may find that leeks won't grow, I think, although I'm not certain, that they are a cool weather plant. I've never mulched them, but that doesn't mean you can't, it's worth giving it a try! Please let me know how you get on.

[@kirstenwhitworth8079]

It's very cool here. Usually in the low 60°s F or ~15° C to 18° C; it's just very dry in the summers here in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains. Most of the year it drizzles on and off all day. We only get about 16 inches of rain a year, but it can get very soggy with only that much rain. I'll try them!

[@sarax001]

Love your hair this length

[@LizZorab]

Thank you!

[@anapaulacrawford5837]

Hun, it will grow in southeast Texas at all? I love them in soups etc.

[@LizZorab]

They are cooler climate crops so you could try planting them now and hope they grow to full size before summer 😃

[@pat_in_va8605]

Parsnips for sure.

[@LizZorab]

Will do, thank you for the suggestion!

[@alwaysargyll2268]

Yikes in Scotland we like to use the green part of the leek not throw it away

[@LizZorab]

Hi, I often use the green part too :-)

[@pollyester6639]

Liz please help - why are my leeks wonky looking drunk 😵

[@tonymatthews445]

Have you seen how Charles Dowding grows his leaks? I find it fasinating that gardeners use alsorts of different methods to achive the same fantastic results. Over the last year or so its been a revelation to me that there is no right or wrong way of doing things, as long as the desired result is achived.