Leeks: Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates
Plant count & yield calculator
Pre-filled for this crop — adjust bed size or pick a different vegetable.
Enter bed size to count plants.
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Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
Seed starting dates
Pre-filled last frost — change the date to rebuild the full crop schedule. For Leeks with this frost date : start indoors ~Feb 4, transplant ~Apr 8 .
Pick a last frost date for the schedule.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
About leeks
Leeks produce thick, mild white shanks prized in soups, gratins, and braises, overwintering in many climates to provide late-season harvests.
Spacing & yield
Leeks wants 4×12 inches and about 0.4 lb per plant at ~110 days to maturity.
Growing tips
- Transplant into 6-inch-deep trenches and gradually fill soil around stems as they grow to blanch the shank.
- Start seeds very early — 10 weeks before last frost — since leeks grow slowly.
- Hill soil progressively during the season for a longer white portion.
- Leeks tolerate hard frost; leave them in the ground and harvest through early winter.
Common mistakes
- Planting at soil level without trenching, producing short green shanks with little usable white.
- Letting soil fall into leaf folds, creating gritty leeks that are difficult to clean.
- Starting too late for fall/winter harvest.
Harvest & storage
Dig with a fork when shanks reach 1-1.5 inches diameter, about 110 days from transplant.
Refrigerate unwashed with roots attached for 2-3 weeks, or leave in the ground under mulch into winter.
Companion planting
Good neighbors for leeks: carrots, celery, onions, strawberries. Avoid planting beside: beans, peas.
Planting calendar
Start indoors about 10 weeks before last frost, then transplant 1 weeks before frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).
Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.
Frequently asked questions
- How far apart are leeks planted?
- Space 4 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, dropped into 6-inch-deep dibble holes or trenches.
- How much does one leek weigh?
- A mature garden leek yields about 0.4 lb of usable shank and tender green.
- How long do leeks take to mature?
- Allow about 110 days from transplant to reach full size — leeks are slow but very cold-hardy.