Leek Microgreens
Leek Microgreens is a microgreen in the Amaryllidaceae family. It grows best in full sun with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 5-10. Plants reach harvest about 10–12 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.
Varieties
3 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity▸Carentan10–12 days
Heirloom; Non-GMO
Carentan leeks are an excellent addition to dishes that need an extra oniony zest. This European plant has high yields. Tender white stems grow 8.5 inches long and 2 inches wide. Leaves are a medium dark green.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Giant Musselburgh10–12 days
Heirloom; Non-GMO
Giant Musselburgh leeks are hardy in cold weather and easy to grow at home. Stalks grow 2-3 inches thick and 9-15 inches long and are tender and white. Leaves are medium dark green.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Large American Flag10–12 days
Heirloom; Non-GMO
10-12 days. American Flag Leeks have an onion taste that can a burst of flavor to any micro salad. Long, slender greens look like miniature chives, and can be used as an onion substitute in most any dish.
View on True Leaf Market ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space leek microgreens about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your leek microgreens planting
Add leek microgreens to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Stores well in the right conditions. Cure 2–3 weeks, then store cool, dark, and dry — keeps for months.
- Cure & store: Dry the necks/skins fully, then store in a cool pantry.
- Freeze: Freeze chopped for cooking (texture softens).
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Companion planting — with cited sources
From US/Canada cooperative-extension publications and peer-reviewed studies. Evidence-tier dots show how strongly each recommendation is backed: ●●● peer-reviewed mechanism · ●● extension consensus · ● traditional knowledge with a plausible mechanism.
Pairs well with (2)
- CarrotEvidence tier B: Extension consensus across multiple US/Canada land-grant institutionspest-deter
Leeks emit sulfur-containing volatiles (allyl sulfides, propanethial-S-oxide) that disrupt host-finding by carrot rust fly (Psila rosae). Extension recommendations across the Northeast US, Pacific Northwest, and Ontario list leek alongside onion and chive as effective allium intercrops for carrot beds. The reciprocal benefit — carrot foliage masking onion fly (Delia antiqua) — is weaker for leek because leek itself is less susceptible than dry-bulb onion.
Region: Most useful in maritime / cool-summer regions where carrot rust fly pressure is highest (Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Maritimes).
Source: S1, S4, University of Guelph / OMAFRA
- Common CabbageEvidence tier C: Traditional practice with plausible mechanism but limited empirical replicationpest-deter
Allium volatiles are frequently cited by extension as a partial deterrent to cabbage maggot (Delia radicum) and aphids on brassicas, though replicated yield trials are limited and effects are inconsistent. Leek's long season alongside the brassica crop makes it a convenient bed-mate.
Source: University of Maryland Extension, S13
Sources cited
- S1
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension — vegetable production guides
- S13
- University of New Hampshire Extension
- S23
- University of Guelph / OMAFRA (Ontario)
- S4
- Oregon State University Extension Service
- S9
- University of Maryland Extension — Home & Garden Info Center
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Feed alliums in spring
Feeding- Routine careFeed nitrogen every 3 weeks during active growth· every 3 wks · ~9 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Alliums build the bulb from spring leaf growth. Feed a nitrogen source every ~3 weeks through spring, then stop once bulbs start to swell so they cure well.
Floating row cover timing
ProtectionUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careCover at planting and seal the edgesstrong evidence — extension confidence
Lay floating row cover over the crop right at seeding or transplanting and bury the edges with soil so pests can't get under; don't cover ground where the same crop grew last year, since overwintered pupae would emerge inside.
- Routine careRemove at flowering for pollinated cropsstrong evidence — extension confidence
On crops that need insect pollination, take the cover off once flowering begins so bees can reach the blooms; on self-pollinated or leafy crops you can leave it longer.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your leek microgreensand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Bacterial soft rot
Diseasesevere- CulturalRemove rotting plants and produce (manage, not cure)strong evidence — extension confidence
Soft rot can't be cured once tissue breaks down; promptly remove and discard affected plants and produce so the bacteria don't spread to neighbors or other stored vegetables.
- CulturalAvoid wounds and excess moisturestrong evidence — extension confidence
Harvest in dry conditions, handle gently to avoid bruising, control insects that create entry wounds, and improve drainage; cure and store bulbs and roots cool and dry.
- CulturalDon't overwater and rotatemoderate evidence — extension confidence
Avoid waterlogged soil and overhead watering that splashes bacteria, and rotate away from previously affected fleshy crops to lower disease pressure.
Onion & garlic white rot
Diseasesevere- CulturalRemove infected plants and soil carefullystrong evidence — extension confidence
Dig and discard affected plants along with the surrounding soil to avoid spreading the long-lived sclerotia; clean soil off tools and boots, since this fungus can persist in soil for many years.
- CulturalAvoid moving infested soil and replantingstrong evidence — extension confidence
Don't replant alliums in known-infested ground; while rotation alone won't clear it, avoiding the area and not spreading contaminated soil is the most reliable home approach.
Leafhoppers & aster yellows
Diseasemoderate- CulturalRemove infected plants and weed reservoirsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Aster yellows can't be cured, so pull and discard plants showing yellowing and witches-broom, and clear nearby weedy hosts that harbor the phytoplasma and its leafhoppers.
- CulturalExclude leafhoppers with row covermoderate evidence — extension confidence
On young susceptible crops, a floating row cover keeps egg-laying leafhoppers off and lowers the chance of aster-yellows spread.
Leek moth and thrips on leeks
Pestmoderate- CulturalCover and clean upmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Cover plants with insect netting or row cover at planting to keep egg-laying leek moths and thrips off, and remove and destroy badly infested leaves and crop debris. Rotate alliums to a new spot each year to break the pest cycle.
- OrganicWash off thrips or spray· every 1 wkmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For thrips, hose plants down to dislodge them, or apply a labeled insecticidal soap or neem product per the label. For leek moth caterpillars, a labeled spinosad or Bacillus thuringiensis product applied per the label when young larvae are active can help.
Leek rust
Diseasemoderate- CulturalImprove airflow and remove infected leavesmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Leek rust is a fungal disease favored by damp, crowded conditions and lush growth; space plants well, avoid over-feeding with nitrogen, and remove badly affected leaves. Mild cases usually still produce a usable crop, and rotating alliums each year helps prevent buildup.
Onion thrips
Pestmoderate- CulturalOverhead-water and remove debris· every 3 days · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Thrips dislike moisture; overhead irrigation and weed/debris cleanup reduce them. Reflective mulch deters them on young plants.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap/spinosad - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For heavy pressure a labeled soap or spinosad on a weekly schedule helps. Follow the label.
Cabbage & onion root maggots
PestmoderateUnusual this time of year.
- CulturalCover at planting with floating row coverstrong evidence — extension confidence
Place floating row cover over the crop at seeding or transplanting and bury the edges so flies cannot lay eggs at the stem base; do not use if the same crop grew there last year, since trapped pupae would hatch underneath.
- CulturalRotate and delay plantingstrong evidence — extension confidence
Rotate susceptible crops to a new spot each year and, where possible, delay planting to late spring to miss the main egg-laying window.