How to Grow Leeks in Containers

The white part of the leek is the most flavorful.

Leeks are a bulb-less relative of the onion, with a milder flavor. They thrive outdoors in the garden when deeply planted, but are appropriate for container gardening as long as the container is tall enough. Leeks also need plenty of space between plants. To obtain the characteristic white leek appearance, gardeners will need to block the base of the plant from the sun with additional potting soil.

Things You'll Need

• 2-foot tall plant pot
• Potting soil
• Organic compost
• Hand spade
• General purpose fertilizer
• Water

Instructions

1. Fill a 2-foot tall plant pot with a mixture of three parts potting soil and one part organic compost in the early spring.

2. Use a hand spade to dig a trench in the potting soil that is 8 inches deep. Lower the leek seedlings into the trench, spaced 4 to 6 inches apart. Fill the trench with potting soil. Mound the soil around the base of the plants so that it touches the base of the bottom leaf.

3. Apply a general purpose liquid fertilizer to the soil, according to the package directions.

4. Water the leeks until the soil settles and water comes out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Reposition the mounds around the base of the leeks, if they move during watering. Place the pot in a spot that gets full sun, which is at least eight hours a day, indoors or outdoors.

5. Water the leeks frequently enough to keep the soil moist to the touch. Do not let the soil dry out between waterings. Reapply the fertilizer once a week.

6. Maintain the mounded soil around the base of the leeks as they grow. The mound should continue to touch the bottom green leaf. This protects the leek from the sunlight and will result in the blanched, white look.

7. Harvest the leeks when they are 1 inch in diameter or larger.

References

• Bonnie Plants: How to Grow Leeks
• Garden Action: Growing Leeks as Vegetables