This year is the first that I’ve grown leeks. I started them from seed inside in early March, and recently the time came to transplant them. Like other allium family members, they’re pretty cold-hardy, so they can move outside pretty early in the spring. Prior to planting them, I trimmed the roots and leaves so there was about an equal length of both (a few inches each).

Because of the way that leeks develop, the key is planting them in a trench or hole (some say as many as six inches deep – mine were not that deep), so as they grow, they’ll end up with a nice length of the white part. Since I didn’t have a ton of plants, I dug individual holes and just placed them in and covered the roots. A common method is to leave the trench or hole unfilled (it will fill and settle over time) to allow room for growth – if the soil is packed too tightly around the plant, it may not grow as nicely.

We’ll see how they do!