Grow Garden Leeks: A Practical October Guide

TL;DR: Leeks count among the cold-hardy vegetables you can harvest late.⁵ Use the steps below to check your patch, feed the soil, plant out any young leeks, and lift leeks as you need them. Keep pets away from the plants.

This guide covers leek jobs for October, a month when there is no rush to harvest leeks.⁵ Leeks sown in spring grow slowly and steadily through summer and autumn, giving fresh harvests throughout the colder months.¹

October is a month for slowing down and looking after your plot.³ Work through the steps at an easy pace.

Know your leeks

Leeks belong to the allium family, which also includes onions, garlic, shallots and chives.⁷ Garlic is another allium and loves the cold.⁷

Leeks, known botanically as Allium porrum, are toxic to dogs and cats, so keep pets from nibbling them.²

Gather your kit

You do not need much. Collect a dibber (a pointed planting stick), a string line, a watering can, gloves, plant labels and a pen.

Tidy up afterwards. Keep tools, compost and garden products in a shed or cupboard that children and pets cannot open.

A practical plan for garden leeks

1. Check the patch. Walk along the row and note which leeks look ready, which look small, and where weeds have crept in. A good October to-do list covers harvesting and storing as well as sowing.³ Write your own short job list before you pick up a tool.
2. Choose the spot. Leeks like full sun, have high water needs and prefer neutral soil.² If you are planting where you grew vegetables earlier this year, choose the section that held beans or peas.⁶
3. Feed the soil. Leeks are hungry for nitrogen, a plant nutrient, so mix nitrogen-rich compost or organic fertiliser into the soil before planting.⁶ If you use a bagged fertiliser, follow the label exactly. Store it where children and pets cannot reach it.
4. Plant out young leeks. If you have young plants still waiting, make planting holes about 3 cm wide and 15 cm deep with the dibber.⁴ Space them 15 cm apart in rows 45 cm apart.⁴ Place one leek in each hole and water gently.
5. Water and watch. Water the rows gently during dry spells. Check the plants once a week for anything unusual.
6. Harvest as you go. Pull leeks when you are ready to cook them. There is no rush to harvest leeks, along with cabbage and parsnips.⁵ Hardy winter varieties can be left standing in the coldest weather without protection.¹

Keep it family-friendly

Garden time makes a good family job. Teach children to ask an adult before they pick or taste anything in the garden.

Give younger helpers a small task, such as writing labels or watering with a little can. Keep pets out of freshly dug soil and away from the leek rows, and wash your hands after handling soil, compost or fertiliser.

October checklist

• Walk the row and check each leek.
• Pull what you plan to cook this week.
• Water if the soil feels dry.
• Clear fallen leaves and weeds from between the rows.
• Check that labels and stakes are still readable.
• Put tools and products away safely.
• Add a quick note to your garden notebook.

Tips for busy gardeners

• Keep a garden notebook for dates, weather and results.
• Label each row with the variety name and the planting date.
• Use a string line to keep rows straight, which makes weeding easier.
• Weed by hand near young plants so you do not damage them.
• Take a photo of the patch each month to track progress.
• Wash leeks well before cooking.

Mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the label on fertiliser or pest products.
• Planting in a shady corner. Pick the sunniest bed you have.
• Letting the soil dry out. Check it often in dry weather.
• Leaving tools and products where children and pets can find them.
• Thinking you must harvest every leek at once. Leeks do not have to be harvested all at once, and hardy winter varieties can be left standing until you want them.¹

Plan the next season

Leeks are sown in spring, so next year's patch can be planned over winter.¹ Pick a sunny bed, line up some compost, and set a spring reminder on your phone.

Note which section grew beans or peas this year, so you know where leeks can go next. Browse seed catalogues over winter and look for varieties described as hardy.

This week, walk your row, pull one leek, and write the date and what you found in your notebook.