How To Grow Leeks
Growing leeks is not any more difficult than growing any other garden vegetable. Leeks are very easy to start from seed and should be started about 8 weeks before planting outside. Prior to planting your leek seeds in your garden, you should harden them off by placing them inside a cold frame or moving them from inside to a well-protected outside spot.
Leek seeds can be planted directly into your garden, but because they have a long growing season (roughly 75-115 days) they are usually planted as seedlings. One leek seed or transplant will yield one sheath 6-8 inches long and 1-2 inches wide.
Leek Soil Preparation
Since leeks are more of a cool-weather crop, they don't take best to extremely hot weather. If you live in a warmer environment, you should certainly attempt to grow leeks, but realize that the flavor may not be as good as it can be.
To prepare your soil you will want to fertilize it with a lot of compost, with a half cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into each 6" furrow. Leeks are light to medium feeders, and you should side-dress them in late May or June with a high nitrogen fertilizer e.g. cottonseed meal or nitrate of soda.
How to Plant Leek Seeds
As soon as your soil is properly prepared you will be ready to plant your seeds. Wait until early to mid-spring to begin sowing leek seed, depending on the type of weather locally. The seeds can be sown in a seed bed for transplanting in summer, or they can be sown in their permanent positions. If you sow in a seed bed, you will have the extra job of transplanting. Keep in mind this method is balanced by the fact that when sown in their permanent position the seeds will take up a lot of space before they produce results.
Sow leek seed thinly, about a quarter inch deep, and cover the seeds with sifted soil. Germination should take about 14-21 days, and you should begin to thin about 6-7 weeks from sowing, when the plants are no more than thin green shoots. Thin to about 2 inches the first time, and when they become a little more stable in growth, thin to about 4 inches.
Harvesting Leeks
Leeks can be harvested when they are 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. You can use a garden fork to loosen up the dirt next to the leeks. Push the fork in parallel, close to the row, pull back the handle, and force the soil to loosen up around the plant then pull it up by the leaves.
Leeks have large root systems, so digging is usually the preferred method when it's time to harvest. Their varieties can vary in their maturity times. Leek plants can be harvested in as early as 60 days after planting, but generally require 100-110 days to really mature.
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