you tried growing leeks? Luscious and delicious, they’re on every fine chef’s menu somewhere. In the UK, they’re a staple of the daily diet, and they appear heavily in Asian cuisine as well. Leeks are found in the most elegant dishes and at the finest restaurants.

You’ll find leeks growing in the finest of gardens, too. Their onion-like flavor is excellent for soups, roasts, risottos, stir-fried, or in tarts. Harvesting leeks in summer, fall, and sometimes winter is a celebration. Planting leek seedlings that grow into fully-formed stalks packed with flavor is a reward in and of itself.

Today, we look at the leek, explore some of the diversity of this allium, and learn the best way to cultivate these culinary delights. Leeks aren’t anywhere near as intimidating as they appear, and they’re well worth the time and effort spent growing them!
What are Leeks?
By now, you’re probably asking exactly what is a leek? The leek vegetable is a part of the allium species of the Amaryllidaceae family. This is the same family of plants that encompasses onions, garlic, chives, and many others. Like the onion, a leek grows in layers. It is most similar to the green onion in that regard. Where do leeks grow? That’s also a common question. The leek has a long history.

Native Area
Originally cultivated in central Asia, it spread throughout Europe due to its tasty nature. Eaten by the Egyptians and the Romans, it rapidly established footholds in most cuisines of Europe and northern Africa. Later, it came to the New World with the settlers, taking its place in the Americas. Delicious leeks have a subtler flavor than the onion and are often compared to scallions. However, they are milder than their more pungent relatives.

Characteristics
All leeks have shallow root systems and produce layers of green leaf masses from a slightly bulbous base. Like giant scallions, their slender stems grow through mild winters and are ready for harvest in spring. If they are left to bolt, they’ll produce a large globular flower, just as onions or garlic would. These are a great attractant for bees.

Varieties
Whether you choose to grow leeks from seed or via plugs, here are some of the best varieties of leeks to include in your garden this year. Can’t decide on which season? Try the ‘Autumn Giant’ variety, a midseason leek that takes roughly 100 to 120 days to mature.
‘King Richard’: 75 days. Very popular. Light green slender shafts. Tolerates light bouts of freezing temperatures. ‘King Richard’ leeks are a very popular variety!
‘Hannibal’: 75 days. Thick stalks that are pure white, dark green leaves.
‘Roxton’: 85 days. Uniform stalks. Does not bulb. Bright green leaves. It can be hard to find.
‘Varna’: 80 days. Long, slender plants with shafts that are often harvested early for best flavor.
‘Megaton’: 90 days. Bluish-green leaves. Thick leeks, very similar to late-season varieties.
‘Dawn Giant’: 98 days. Gigantic leeks! Often used for competition.
‘Pandora’: 90 days. Very uniform, non-bulbing. Bluish-green leaves.
‘Runner’: 105 days. Deep bluish-green leaves, very erect, easy to cultivate.
‘Striker’: 86 days. Very easy to clean. Long, thick shaft. Disease-resistant.
Late Season Leeks
‘American Flag’: 105 days. Grows extremely well. Frost-resistant strain.
‘Lancelot’: 95 days. Reliable and classic variety. Rich green leaves.
‘Surfer’: 115 days. Disease and pest-resistant variety with clean white stalks. Blue-green leaves.
‘Bandit’: 100 days. Extremely cold-tolerant. Minimal bulbing.
‘Giant Musselburgh’: 105 days. Very old variety. Super-thick stems and cold-tolerant.
‘Blue Solaise’: 110 days. French variety, leaves are dark blue-green but turn purplish after a cold snap.
‘Carentan’: 130 days. Old European variety that is quickly becoming rare. High yields, vigorous.
‘Jolant’: 120 days. Winter-hardy variety with blue-green leaves and medium-sized stalks.
‘Tadorna’: 110 days. Disease-resistant cultivar. Overwinters in all but the coldest locations.
Planting
Set out quicker-growing, early-season leeks in the early spring for harvest in the late summer or early fall. They’re often smaller than late-season species and even milder in flavor. Some people use these to grow mini-leeks that are used in food.

Late-season leeks are also planted in spring, but they’re harvested in late fall and even into winter. These take longer to grow. They’re also cold-hardy and somewhat frost-tolerant and handle gradual temperature changes. A few can be planted in the late spring for fall/winter harvest. Growing leeks in areas with mild winters is possible, too. In this case, a fall planting is best for an early spring harvest.
How to Grow
For the most part, after you transplant leeks, they can take care of themselves. However, if you want to have the most flavorful stalks, here’s the best way to ensure a tasty harvest.
Maintenance

You don’t have to prune when you’re growing leeks unless you want to. Some varieties, such as ‘American Flag’, have edible greens which can be trimmed and used in cooking. If you have a variety that doesn’t have bitter greens, trim the first green leaf or two occasionally for kitchen use. Don’t take more than two or three leaves from a given leek during its growth cycle, though!

When you grow, mound soil around the leek to cover the stalk up to the base of the leaves. This naturally blanches the stalk and encourages it to grow taller. You can double your efforts by planting your leeks in a trench or hole initially, then gradually increasing the amount of soil around the leeks.