Johnny's Leek Harvesting Program

Extend Your Leek Harvest Across 7 Seasonal Slots

Johnny's Leek Planting/Harvesting Program is designed to take the guesswork out of planting, allowing you to maximize yield and quality over the widest possible harvest window.

  • First, use the chart below to choose varieties for planting by their projected sequential harvest slots:
    1) summer; 2) summer/late summer; 3) late summer/early fall; 4) fall; 5) fall/late fall; 6) late fall; and 7) winter.
  • Next, plant several leek varieties with different maturity dates at the same time.
  • Then, harvest in succession. Each leek variety will mature in its appropriate seasonal slot from a spring planting. The less cold-tolerant leeks are faster-growing, and the more cold-hardy leeks are slower-growing.
HARVEST SLOT
SUMMER

'King Richard'

Days to Maturity: 75
Open-pollinated (OP). Remarkable earliness and length. Organic or conventional seed; conventional plants.

HARVEST SLOT
SUMMER/LATE SUMMER
Rally • Summer/Late Summer Leek

'Rally'

Days to Maturity:  85
Hybrid (F1). Upright habit for easier cultivation. Organic or conventional seed.

HARVEST SLOT
SUMMER/LATE SUMMER
Biker • Summer/Late Summer Leek

'Biker'

Days to Maturity:  90
Hybrid (F1). Upright habit, tidy fan.

HARVEST SLOT
LATE SUMMER/EARLY FALL
Jumper • Late Summer/Early Fall Leek

'Jumper'

Days to Maturity: 95
Hybrid (F1). Labor-saving, late summer/early fall leek with upright foliage and refined shanks.

HARVEST SLOT
FALL

'Takrima'

Days to Maturity: 100
Hybrid (F1). Easy to grow. Excellent quality for fall harvest. Organic or conventional seed.

HARVEST SLOT
FALL
Tadorna • Fall Leek

'Tadorna'

Days to Maturity:  100
Open-pollinated (OP). Fall leek holds quality in the field. Organic or conventional seed.

HARVEST SLOT
FALL/LATE FALL
Comanche • Fall/Late Fall Leek

'Comanche'

Days to Maturity: 105
Hybrid (F1) with upright habit and long, beautiful shanks. Organic or conventional seed.

HARVEST SLOT
LATE FALL

'Surfer' OG

Days to Maturity: 110
Upright hybrid (F1), with rust tolerance. Cold-hardy to facilitate fall harvest. Bred expressly for organic systems.

HARVEST SLOT
LATE FALL/WINTER

'Lexton'

Days to Maturity: 110
Hybrid (F1). Large, uniform, and very frost hardy.

HARVEST SLOT
LATE FALL/WINTER

'Oslo' OG

Days to Maturity: 110
Hybrid (F1). Matures late fall to winter and can be overwintered in temperate climates.

HARVEST SLOT
WINTER

'Bandit' OG

Days to Maturity: 120
Open-pollinated (OP). Very winter-hardy leek. Organic seed.

 
 

Manual Leek Planter

To achieve optimal blanching and long, white shanks.
Three rows of 9½" dibbles.
Designed for 30"-wide beds.

Tech Tip: When to Harvest & How to Store Your Leeks

Our Leek Harvesting Program allows you the option of producing the maximal quality and yield across the seasons by planting several leek varieties with differing days to maturity, then harvesting in succession.

Timing of your leek harvest can be made in a less formal fashion if desired, however. Just dig as necessary; the leeks can be harvested at any time during the season and in some cases they can be held later in the field, if desired. We recommend you trial for the best results for your needs.

Leeks will store for several weeks. Clean the plants and store at near-freezing temperature in boxes or in a humid cooler, or, place the roots in a moist soil/sand/peat mix and store in a root cellar under the same conditions as onions. Tops will stay green if exposed to some light.

» PDF • Johnny's Leek Planting/Harvesting Program