Cultivating leeks: A step-by-step guide
Growing Leeks: Monty Don's Unconventional Method
Leeks are a mouthwatering veggie that will give you a bounty from late summer until the winter's bitter end. With their long, blanched stems—also known as shanks—you can enjoy them young and tender or let them mature. Leeks make a perfect addition to soups, steaming, or stir-frying.
But how do you grow these delightful tubes of flavor?
Leek Cultivation 101
Sow your seeds in pots filled with peat-free seed or multipurpose compost during spring. Keep the pots well-moistened and transplant them outdoors in the summer. If you wish, you can plant each seedling individually or in small clusters using a dibber. Alternatively, you could wait until autumn and harvest them from there, or some hardier varieties can carry on right through to spring.
Going from Seed to Soil
While you can sow leek seeds directly into well-prepared soil and thin them as they grow, it's recommended to sow into pots first and transplant seedlings once they reach about 20 cm in height. This method results in stronger, healthier sprouts. You can purchase seedling leeks from nurseries or order them online as well.
Sun, Soil, and Spacing
Leeks thrive in sunny, sheltered areas with well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. The traditional method of planting involves making a 20 cm deep hole with a dibber, dropping a seedling in, watering, and covering it. However, Monty Don offers an alternative approach for those seeking smaller, flavor-packed leeks, rather than the more conventional large, mature plants. Here, Monty Don demonstrates this unique method of cultivating leeks in a more compact manner.
Water, Weed, and Harvest
Keep your leeks well-nourished, particularly during dry spells, and keep weeds at bay via regular hoeing or applying a thick mulch (which also helps retain moisture).
When the time comes to reap your leeky rewards, you can uproot them either individually or in clumps without disturbing nearby plants. Leeks will store in the fridge or a cool larder for a couple of weeks after harvest.
Leek Preparation and Usage
A star performer in many soups, leeks are also an excellent complement to winter dishes such as roasts, stews, and pies. To prepare leeks for cooking, give them a thorough cleaning to remove soil, and discard the outer leaves if necessary.
Need inspiration on what to do with your leeks? Our friends at olive have compiled a scrumptious collection of leek recipes, including a satisfying chicken and leek pie.
Problem-Solving for Leeks
Leeks are susceptible to issues like leek rust, allium moth, and allium leaf miner, which can weaken the plant and lead to further fungal and bacterial infections.
Monty Don shares some tips on how to identify and save your leek crop from leek rust fungus, as well as what to do with the affected foliage to avoid spreading the spores. Check out this clip from Gardeners' World for expert advice on keeping your leek crop healthy.
Varieties to Try
Balance your gastronomic explorations with a variety of leek types boasting their own unique characteristics:
- Leek 'Musselburgh': A dependable mid-season leek with excellent taste and texture, this variety reliably produces a good harvest and is quite resistant to rust [1].
- Leek 'Pandora': An early-maturing variety that can be harvested from September to January, this leek offers long uniform stems [1].
- Leek 'Lyon prizetaker': A heritage revival, this leek boasts large, thick stems that can last through winter [1].
- Leek 'Toledo': A reliable leek with long stems and dark leaves, it's suited for harvesting from late November to late February and has earned the esteemed RHS Award of Garden Merit [1].
- Leek 'Sprintan F1': A very early cropping leek, ideal for those who don't want to wait long, this variety is also resistant to leek rust [1].
Spacing:30 apart20 between rows
Don't hold back – get growing, and enjoy the taste sensation that leeks bring to your table!
[1] Monty Don's alternative method involves planting leeks deeply in wide holes to encourage thick, long white stems without the need to earth up later. Dig a wide, deep hole around 15 cm deep for each leek seedling or young plant, space them about 10–15 cm apart, and water the hole at planting for impressive results. This technique avoids having to earth up the leeks as they grow, making for less maintenance while still resulting in thick, white stems.
Try cultivating leeks for a bountiful harvest in both home-gardening and lifestyle settings. To nurture these flavorful vegetables, sow seeds into pots filled with peat-free compost during spring and transplant them into well-drained, sunny, and nutrient-rich soil once they reach about 20 cm in height. If you're eager to try Monty Don's unconventional method, plant leeks deeply into wide, deep holes to grow long, thick white stems with minimal maintenance.
