Not only is the leek a well known tasty winter vegetable, but its root system has the added advantage of improving heavy soils. Leeks are in the ground for quite a long time and do take a fair amount of work, but they really are worth all that effort; so its not surprising they will be found on almost every vegetable plot. Early sowings can be made under glass in January or February at 14°C.
Sow the seed into pots or trays and cover the seed with a sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Once early sowings have germinated, transplant into individual pots and grow under glass until April, before moving to a cold frame to harden off before planting out at 25-30cm apart in the row, and then 45cm between each row. Outdoor sowings can be made from March to April, sowing the seed thinly, 1.5cm deep in the drills and 30cm apart. Water the ground regularly, especially during dry periods.
Lyon Leek Seeds Prizetaker/ Lyon has a uniform habit which produces long thick white stems. As the name implies it is the ideal leek for the show bench. This variety matures from early autumn onwards.
