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How to Plant Out Leeks into a Raised Vegetable Bed

Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by Tracey in How to Grow Veg

June and July are the months to plant out or transplant your leeks into raised beds. Leeks will need to be planted out when they are about a pencil’s thickness. Do not worry if they are not that thick, they will fatten up in the raised beds.

Top Tips

1. Leeks will have to have some of their roots and tops cut off before being planted into holes. This is to help the plants establish in their new location and not to put all their energy into growing more top leaves before the roots have settled in their new surroundings.
2. Use the cut off onion roots to edge carrot rows to deter carrot fly as they don’t like the smell.
3. Plant leeks in holes of 6 to 8 inches deep and 1 to 2 inches wide.
4. If you haven’t got a large dibber, then use the end of a broom handle and mark a 6 inch line.
5. Leeks are planted in their holes without back-filling the soil, the holes need to be watered weekly in dry weather to help the plants establish. Eventually the soil and water will back fill the hole naturally and be loose enough around the leek so the white shank can form.
6. If you haven’t sown any leeks this year, there’s still time to buy Leek Plug Plants on eBay.

How To Plant Out Leeks into a Raised Vegetable Bed

What Equipment will I Need?

• A large dibber or broom handle marked with a 6 inch line,
• A watering can full of water,
• Secateurs or scissors,
• Leeks ready to plant out.
• Optional: Gloves and Row Labels.

Planting Out Instructions

1. Leeks need to be planted 6 inches apart so find a suitable area to plant them in,
2. Clear the area of weeds,
3. Use a large dibber or broom handle and push into the soil to form a 6 inch deep hole,
4. Move the dibber or broom handle about in the hole to make it 1 to 2 inch wide,
5. Space out all the other holes 6 inches apart,
6. Remove the leeks from their pots and carefully remove some of the soil around their roots,
7. Use secateurs or scissors to cut off the roots leaving 1 to 2 inches of roots at the bottom,
8. Place the leek into the hole. If you turn the leek round and round in the hole the roots tend to settle at the bottom.
9. Repeat numbers 6 and 7 with the rest of the leeks,
10. Using secateurs or scissors cut off the tops of the green leaves to the same level as the surface of the soil or the top of the hole. Repeat this for all the planted out leeks.
11. Using a watering can spout, pour the water in the holes, filling it right up to the top with water.
12. There is no need to back fill the holes with soil as over time this will happen naturally.
13. Water every week in dry sunny periods.

Depending on your leek variety type, harvest at the following times:

• Early Season Leeks e.g. The Lyon, Pandora – Harvest Sept, Oct and Nov.
• Mid Season Leeks e.g. Musselburgh, Argenta – Harvest Dece, Jan, Feb
• Late Season Leeks e.g. Bandit, Atlanta – Harvest Feb, March and April.

Other How To Guides you may be interested in:

• Growing Leeks – How to Sow Leeks,
• Growing Spring Onions,
• Growing Mini Leeks.