If you object to paying exorbitant prices for leeks at the grocery store, you may want to grow this non-bulbing member of the onion family. Leeks add subtle flavor to soups and enhance the taste of many dishes.
Soil should be prepared for leeks by adding liberal amounts of organic matter and manure. Leeks can be planted in late summer and harvested in winter and early spring, or they can be planted indoors three to four weeks before the last killing spring frost and the harvest can be completed before excessively high temperatures occur.
Leek seeds should be planted at a rate of eight to ten seeds per linear foot and covered 1/2 inch deep. If temperatures are high, cover the seeds with compost or organic matter and mulch the seeded area with organic matter. Four to six weeks after seedlings emerge, thin plants so that they are four inches apart. Keep the soil moist during early stages of development; but as the plants mature, it is best to keep the soil somewhat dry.
When the leek stems are about one inch in diameter, they may be blanched by piling dirt around the plants, excluding light from the stem. Some gardeners tie brown wrapping paper or black plastic around the stems to exclude light. Others may pile a five-inch to six-inch layer of organic matter around the plant. Blanching produces a pure-white leek of high quality.
Leeks may be harvested with a spading fork when you need them. They are extremely cold hardy and will remain usable well into the spring. When planted in the spring, leeks will be ready for harvest during early summer.
Jean Brutout, Smith County Master Gardener
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