Crop guide
Growing leeks
Growing leeks means matching type, timing, and spacing on the cited sheets. There is no single national planting date.
Growing guidance is general information. Timing, spacing, and care depend on cultivar, weather, soil, and local conditions. Check the sources and adjust the plan for your garden.
Steps (range, not a promise)
- 01Know the type on the cited sheet. Cool-season notes stay source-specific.
- 02Plant on the cited sheet’s timing. Regional dates stay on their own cards.
- 03Use in-row depth and spacing from one cited source.
- 04Log the bed so next season is not a guess.
Illustrative photograph — types, timing, and spacing stay on the cited sheets.
The season, on your ground
Save this bed — freeWhen to plantCareWhen to harvestGarden pests
What the sources say — at a glance
One source per card. Facts are not averaged.
Clemson HGIC 1314 (South Carolina)
Cool weather. Late summer or early fall for winter harvest. Mature below 75 °F. 10–15 seeds/ft. Thin to 4 in. Or transplants 4 in.
Details and limits (4)
Types
Clemson HGIC 1314 (South Carolina): leeks grow best during cool weather. Type note — not a cultivar mill.
Timing
Clemson HGIC 1314 (South Carolina): leeks are planted in late summer or early fall for winter harvest. Leeks mature best during temperatures averaging below 75 °F. Timing on their sheet — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Clemson HGIC 1314 (South Carolina): plant 10 to 15 seeds per foot of row, and thin to 4 inches apart, or set transplants 4 inches apart. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
South Carolina HGIC 1314. Cool-weather wording and 4 in stay Clemson. Not fertilizer.
Maryland Extension (Maryland)
Hardy (heavy frost, attributed). Biennial treated as annual. Summer vs overwintering types. Indoor for early spring or later summer for fall. 5 in apart.
Details and limits (4)
Types
Maryland Extension (Maryland): hardy (plants can withstand heavy frosts, attributed). Biennial treated as an annual. Summer leek and overwintering leek as type classes. Type notes — not a mill. Maryland’s attributed hardiness wording — not a planting-safety promise.
Timing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): start seeds indoors for early spring transplants or later in the summer for a fall crop. Leeks can be planted several weeks prior to the last frost date. Maryland timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): spacing five inches apart, either in narrow rows or equidistantly in wide rows or beds. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
Maryland leeks garden page. Hardy wording and 5 in stay Maryland. Not fertilizer.
UMN Extension (Minnesota)
Indoor start. Transplant in early spring. 2–6 in in-row. Rows 12–36 in. Close spacing 2–4 in.
Details and limits (3)
Timing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): start seeds indoors and transplant in early spring. Minnesota timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): plant two to six inches apart, with 12 to 36 inches between rows. Close spacing of two to four inches between plants. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
Minnesota leeks page. Early-spring transplant and 2–6 in stay Minnesota. Not fertilizer.
Make it yours
Save the bed in the Field Book so next season is not a guess.
Sources differ
When do you plant leeks?
Compare timing on the cited sheets. Clemson HGIC 1314 (South Carolina): late summer or early fall for winter harvest. Maryland: indoor starts for early spring transplants, or later in the summer for a fall crop. Minnesota: indoor start, transplant in early spring. Not a national plant date.
How far apart do you plant leeks?
The sheets do not agree on one grid. Clemson: thin to 4 inches, or transplants 4 inches. Maryland: five inches apart. Minnesota: two to six inches, rows 12 to 36 inches.
What to record in the Field Book
Save the bed with the crop and the date. You may add a photo and notes. Compare entries you have recorded with each other — not with a diagnosis from this page. If you want an identification, bring the record to local Extension.
Verified suppliers only
No supplier on this page
When a partner is listed, it will be outbound and disclosed. Nothing to buy here. Fertilizer, soils, and pesticides stay off this slot.
How we know — methodology. Ranges and assertions are cited per source, not blended.