Leek
Allium porrum
Hill soil around the stems for long white shafts.
Hardiness: zones 2 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 2 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide
Harvest: September to December
From: Mediterranean
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Native to: Mediterranean. Hardy in zones 2 to 11.
The story
Leeks were Nero's favourite vegetable and the Welsh national emblem, worn on St. David's Day after a battle in which soldiers pinned them to their caps; they stand through winter when everything else is gone.
Planting
Full sun, rich soil; start seed indoors in late winter and set out pencil-thick seedlings in deep holes or a trench in spring, 6 inches apart.
Growing
Water steadily, feed with compost, and hill soil up the stems as they grow to blanch them white.
Harvest and use
Dig from late summer through winter as needed; frost improves them. Mulch heavily in cold places to keep digging.
What to watch for
Leek moth and allium leafminer where present, and rust.
See if Leek fits your yard
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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home