Cool-season produce

Leek

Allium ampeloprasum Porrum Group

Also known as Leeks

A slow crop. Give it room and steady water; plant early enough that the shanks develop before hot weather.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyAmaryllidaceae (allium)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSow September–October or January; fall sowing gives a longer cool season.

How to plantStart from seed; transplant pencil-thick seedlings and gradually mound soil for pale shanks.

Plant spacing4–6 in

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 180–200 days

SuccessionOne fall sowing, with a small winter trial if space allows.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestLate winter to spring shanks from fall sowings.

Right plant, right place

Will Leek grow at your Arizona property?

A slow crop. Give it room and steady water; plant early enough that the shanks develop before hot weather.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.