Plant Doctor Archive

How do I best grow my leeks?

At what depth should I plant leek plants? Some say the deeper the better. And what pH do they like to get white fleshy stalks?

Plant leeks when they are 15-20 cm long and the thickness of a pencil. Make the hole 10-15 cm deep. Plant the seedling so that the roots are just resting in the bottom of the hole and leaves just showing above the soil surface. Do not firm in — water in the seedlings and as the soil settles it will fill in the hole and hold the leek plant firmly in the ground. Plant leeks in a soil with a pH of 6-6.5.

Lovely white stems are formed by earthing up (or mounding) around the leeks as they grow — this is not essential, but leeks are certainly much more delicious when grown this way.

Advice by Dr Dan Blanchon from Unitec's Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture and Bachelor of Resource Management.

Reproduced with permission from NZOOM Home and Garden content, from the previous website of  The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH   HOME AND GARDEN   Plant Doctor Archives Main Page