Add a unique new spin on meals by growing leeks in your home garden. Leeks are a close relative to the onion, however, are sweeter and milder than the onion. Instead of growing a bulb like an onion does, the leek grows a thick stalk and very small bulb, and the stalk is harvested and used in lieu of onions in dishes and recipes. Growing your own leeks is very easy, doesn’t take up much space in your garden, and saves you money on your grocery trips by avoiding purchasing pricey leeks from the supermarkets.

Are you going to plant leek in your garden? According to our research, we don’t recommend planting beans and peas near leek in the garden.

Leeks are frost-tolerant, and can survive winters in the group in zones 7 of warmer. Plant your leeks in early spring, or as soon as the soil is thawed enough to be worked. Choose a sunny spot in your garden to plant your leeks, and space each plant 6-8 inches apart in a bed of amended soil. Plant the seedlings deeper than normal seedlings, at least 6-8 inches deep. Doing this will blanch the leek, producing a rich, white stem that is desired when growing leeks. As your leeks grow, continue adding soil around the stems to ensure they remain covered.

Leeks can be harvested at 2 different stages of their growth cycle. In their earlier stages, they can be pulled from the soil and used similar to a scallion. For a full sized leek, once they are about an inch around, they are ready to be pulled. Loosen the soil around your crop so the leeks don’t break off in the ground as you are harvesting them. Be sure to thoroughly wash the stem to remove any soil particles