A Guide to Growing Leeks and Onions

The current season is ideal for sowing leeks and onions. These two onion family plants serve as the cornerstone of cooking, appearing in almost every recipe. In fact, many soups and stews begin with onion family plants such as garlic, onions, or leeks, making it wise to cultivate leeks in your garden as well. If you haven't tried leeks yet, growing and tasting them will surely become a new hobby for you. Leeks have a complex flavor, but it's gentler than onions and has a smoother texture. In my autumn recipes, potato and leek soup, and cauliflower and leek soup are indispensable dishes, while braised leeks with breadcrumbs are an unexpected but memorable side dish.

Growing your own onions also gives you access to varieties that are hard to find in the market. While planting "storage" onions that are suitable for pickling and storing is meaningful, you can also try unique varieties like Egyptian walking onions. This type of onion produces small onions on top that fall off and regrow. Additionally, cippollini onions, colorful purple onions, and super-sweet yellow and red onions that are unavailable in supermarkets are all worth trying. Growing your own onions provides you with unlimited experimental opportunities.

Onion family plants prefer winter growth conditions. Leeks generally require 75 to 115 days to mature, but this depends on the amount of sunlight they receive. Leeks planted now will be harvested in the spring, giving you plenty of time to enjoy their signature white stalks. Onions also have a relatively long growth period, requiring three to four months, so they can also be harvested in the spring.

Autumn is the best time to sow leeks and onions, and you can choose to start from seeds, sprouts, or seedlings. There are various ways to plant onions. You can sow them directly in the garden or purchase onion seedlings for transplantation. These seedlings are usually sold in bundles of 25, about five inches tall. Additionally, you can buy onion sets, which are tiny onion bulbs that can be planted like flower bulbs. If you choose to plant onion seedlings or sets, just dig a long trench in the seedbed, place the onions or seedlings in the trench, and then cover them with soil.

Planting leeks is equally simple, and they easily germinate from seeds. When sowing leeks, plant them as deep as possible, with only the top inch exposed above the soil. If the leek seedlings are longer, you can use a slender tool like a pencil as a dibble to dig holes. When planting, space the leek seedlings about six inches apart in well-worked soil rich in compost.

For leeks, replanting can result in more white stalks. Since the white stalk of the leek is the most commonly used part, you can dig up the leeks in late winter or early spring, trim them to 10 inches long, and use a nine-inch dibble to dig a nine-inch-deep hole to replant them. This process can be repeated multiple times in early spring to make the white stalk of the leek thicker.

Another advantage of onion family plants is that they can be harvested anytime. Although young onion family plants may not have reached their full size, their flavor is as intense as that of mature plants. Therefore, when thinning out plants in the winter, try harvesting some young onion family plants to add flavor.

Finally, for onions, it's more beneficial to harvest them in the spring. When the tops of the onions begin to droop and the onion necks (the part between the onion and the top) dry out and harden, it's the best time to harvest. When harvesting, use a fork to loosen the soil under the onions and then carefully dig them out and let them air dry. Avoid washing the onions during the drying process. Instead, lay them out in a single layer or hang them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area to dry. When the outer layer of the onion becomes papery and dry, you can determine that they are mature and ready for storage.