When and How to Harvest Leeks

Are you growing leeks this year? Since they’re a little bit different from onions, knowing exactly when and how to harvest can be difficult, especially for new gardeners. Thankfully, the process is simple. Plant biologist Emily Estep will tell you all about when and how to harvest leeks.

A dense field of tall, straight, dark green leafy plants with thick, cylindrical stalks rising from the rich, brown soil, the lines of greenery forming uniform rows that stretch towards the horizon under a clear sky.

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An Allium species just like onions, shallots, and chives, leeks have a signature onion-y flavor that’s a bit sweet. They’re milder than onions and have a hint of garlic in their flavor profile. While onions form large bulbs in the soil, leeks do not. Instead, they form a long “shank,” which refers to the white portion of this vegetable.

They have tons of flavor and tons of nutrients. They’re a versatile vegetable that you can add to many dishes for instant flavor. Plus, they’re pretty low-maintenance plants that are easy to cultivate in the garden. 

Growing leeks takes a few months, and then it’s time to harvest. Making sure you gather them at the right time and in the right way will ensure that they last for as long as possible. The process isn’t too difficult, but there are definitely some tips and tricks that will help you get the most fruits of your labor.

If you’ve been growing these onion-y veggies all season and think it’s finally time to harvest, read on. We’ve gathered all the steps you need to know, including exactly when and how—in addition to some advice on how to store harvested leeks and overwinter those that remain in the ground.

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Estimate the Time Window

A focused view of vibrant green stems growing upright from the dark, moist soil, with visible layers of leaves forming around the base, their broad, pointed tips contrasting against the reddish-brown ground.
Different varieties and cultivars have different “days to maturity,” which you can usually find on the seed packet.

If you want to harvest leeks at the right time, having a rough idea of when they might be ready is a good start. Different varieties and cultivars have a different “days to maturity” number, which you can usually find on the seed packet.

For example, long and slender Tokyo Long White’ scallions should be ready in 65 days, while thicker, heartier ‘King Richard’ scallions need about 75 days. Not sure which kind you planted? Many of these Allium varieties are ready for harvest somewhere in the 65 to 100 days range, though there are exceptions. ‘American Flag’ heirlooms need about 135 days.

Hopefully, you know which cultivar you are growing, so you can get an accurate idea of how long they will take. If not, that’s okay, too. With this estimation in mind, you’ll know when it’s a good idea to start inspecting your garden.

Forgetting can be easy, especially when you have a lot going on in the garden and because leeks are so low-maintenance. While some gardeners like to comb through their plants each day, others have a more hands-off approach. A little reminder on your calendar can help.

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Measure

A person in a checkered shirt gently gathers several tall, green stalks into a woven basket, their pale, thick bases contrasting with the deep green of the leaves, which spread outward in fan-like formations.
Keep in mind that some “giant” types are meant to reach 2 inches in width, while some small types are only ¾ inch.

The specific time to harvest depends not on the exact amount of days but on the width of the leeks. Both measurements (time and width) will guide your harvest.

Typically, you will want to harvest them when they are about 1 inch wide in diameter. Once an appropriate amount of growing time has passed, start checking out your leeks regularly. Look for any that seem to be about 1 inch wide. These ones are ready to harvest.

Keep in mind that some “giant” types are meant to reach 2 inches in width, while some small types are only ¾ inch. If you don’t know which type you are growing, you can just default to a diameter of 1 inch as your harvest-time indicator.

Height is not a convenient indicator because different varieties mature to different heights. If you know the typical mature height of your chosen variety or cultivar, it can help guide you, but width is more important

The “days to maturity” number is not set in stone. If yours are supposed to take 100 days, but you notice that they are already 1 inch in width in just 80 days, go ahead and harvest. Congratulations, your vegetables must be growing in excellent conditions.

Another factor to keep in mind is succession planting. If you planted one batch all at the same time—and one batch only—then these will be the only group on your mind. However, many gardeners enjoy succession planting.

Succession planting can refer to replacing one crop with a different type in the next season, but it can also refer to the practice of sowing seeds of the same vegetables at different times. Perhaps you planted some, and then every few weeks, you planted more.

If you have been planting your onion-y veggies this way, let the first batch be your marker of harvest time. Examine the next batches closely in the weeks after. Anything that’s one inch wide is ready to go. Succession planting leeks is a great idea because they are fairly frost-tolerant and you can harvest them into the winter.

Remove From the Soil

A hand carefully pulls a thick, sturdy stalk from the soft, brown soil, revealing the pale white lower portion while loose dirt crumbles away, with more green stems visible in the background along a neat row.
This process can be as easy as gently grasping the leeks near the bottom and lifting them out of the soil.

Once they are ready, you can fully remove them from the soil. If you have loose, airy soil, this process is as easy as gently grasping the leeks near the bottom and lifting them out of the soil. You can give the plant a light twist, too.

It’s important that you don’t snap any of the bulb because it shortens the vegetable’s shelf life. If you have more compacted or clay soil, you may not be able to just lift them out without breaking the bulb. Even if you thought you had loose soil, you may discover that a gentle tug isn’t removing the leek effortlessly.

Before you do any damage, abandon this technique and grab a garden fork. Use the fork to reach underneath the root area and pop the plant out of the ground—without bulb breakage. A garden fork will make it easier to get the plant out of the ground, but be careful not to pierce the bulb with one of the fork tines.

Some gardeners find that the long leaves of these plants can get in the way when harvesting. It’s okay to cut them down a little bit beforehand for convenience. The top half of the foliage tends to be tough in texture and, though edible, probably not a portion of the vegetable you will eat.

Get Rid of Dirt

A bundle of green stems with their white, cylindrical bases lying on a patch of loose, dry soil, dirt still clinging to the roots, while the long green leaves curl and overlap in a dense, leafy pile.
You won’t want muddy roots in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Now that you’ve safely removed your leeks from the soil, you’ll want to thoroughly remove any excess dirt on the plants. At first, you can give them a good shake, which should remove the bulk of the debris. Then, spray them with water.

These vegetables will be stored with the roots attached, even though you won’t eat the roots. Because of this, it’s important to make sure the roots are dirt-free, too. You won’t want muddy roots in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

After rinsing, pat them dry with a towel. Excess moisture can lead to fungal growth and decrease storage time. Don’t pat them too hard, which can break the leaves or the bulbs. (Before preparing and eating, check for dirt one final time. Slice the vertically and rinse away any remaining soil inside.)

Store Properly

A neat pile of long, straight, pale green stems arranged with their white, trimmed bases lined up closely, showing the fibrous texture of the roots, with their wide, dark green leaves laying flat in tight layers.
Do not cut the leeks or fully remove the roots before storing.

Leeks will store in the refrigerator for about a week, or sometimes up to 10 or more days, without their flavor or texture fading. They’ll be okay to eat for longer than that, possibly up to a month, but they won’t have their best flavor.

Store them in the crisper drawer of your fridge. You can put them in another container or bag within the drawer, but make sure it remains open. They should not be placed in an air-tight container. 

When you purchase leeks at the store, a good rule of thumb is to not rinse them before storage. Extra moisture will cause them to decay faster. However, since you’ve harvested your vegetables from the garden, you can’t really avoid rinsing them beforehand to remove soil. Just do what you can to keep your crisper drawer dry.

Do not cut the leeks or fully remove the roots before storing. The top half of the foliage is totally okay to remove (and will save you space), but otherwise, leave them fully intact

Because these Allium vegetables are frost-tolerant, you may discover that they continue to grow in your fridge. This is completely normal. They will grow extremely slowly, so they won’t increase much in size during this time.

Overwinter Remaining Plants

A row of tall green stalks emerging from a bed of golden straw that covers the soil, their bases thick and white, with the long, pointed leaves arching upward in an open field, surrounded by patches of greenery and dried grass.
Once the temperatures approach 20 degrees Fahrenheit, cover them with a thick layer of straw mulch.

Though freshly-harvested leeks will hold up in the fridge for about a month, they really only maintain peak flavor for about a week. Since they don’t store for long, harvesting all of your leeks before winter would be a huge waste. It’s unlikely that you will be able to enjoy them all while they still taste their best. Instead, overwinter some!

Leeks can tolerate temperatures down to 20°F (-7°C) and will continue to grow during frost. You can easily attempt to overwinter these veggies. This way, you can continue to harvest into the winter months. Depending on how mild your zone is, they may survive all season long.

To do so, create mounds of soil around the leeks that are still in the garden. This will help insulate the roots and keep them warm. These vegetables have particularly shallow roots, which is why this step can be so impactful.

Once the temperatures approach 20°F (-7°C), cover them with a thick layer of straw mulch. You will be able to go outside and harvest them as needed, just move aside the mulch. Note that the soil may be frozen, so a garden fork may be necessary.

Some varieties are better-suited to overwintering than others. Depending on the time of year you intend to plant these vegetables, consider seeking out one of these varieties, such as ‘King Richard’. This versatile favorite is both ready quickly (75 days) and resistant to long seasons in the cold ground.

Additional varieties that overwinter well include ‘Tadorna Blue’, ‘American Flag’, ‘Bandit’, and ‘Giant Winter’.

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