Anyone with a vegetable garden knows, finding perennial ANYTHING is like striking gold. If you can get a harvest from a plant that just plods along without much babysitting, that’s a good thing right? Not to mention that perennial plants suit a no-dig garden so well – they are the ultimate no-dig vegetables! When talking about perennial plants, most people think of the flower or herb garden. Of course there are a few perennial vegetables that keen vegetable gardeners all know and love. Asparagus, artichokes & rhubarb are super popular! But did you know you can grow perennial leeks AKA multiplier leeks? I found out about these guys a few years ago, and I have not planted annual leeks since!
No, you can’t have your leek and eat it too
Now, I know you’re wondering – I eat the leek itself, so how can I eat it and let it keep growing at the same time? Well, you don’t. Perennial leeks get their “perennial-ness” by constantly offshoots at their base. The offshoots can be plucked away and planted once they are sturdy enough. They will then become big leeks and start producing little offshoots of their own. You don’t have to restrict perennial leeks to a vegetable plot either. They are a great addition to any garden, or even in pots or a flower garden.
How do you grow perennial leeks?
Growing perennial leeks is really easy. They are quite hardy, and will tolerate some neglect well. They will over Winter in most climates, with exception only of the coldest climates. The offsets will appear almost year round – though production will dip in the coldest months.
How do you plant perennial leeks?
Perennial leeks like a fairly standard garden situation and soil ph. They love a little compost or worm wee applied (as do most vegetables!), but fresh manure should be avoided. Our garden is no-dig, so we obviously don’t “prepare” a bed by digging. We pop an offset in wherever we have a little space, they do perfectly fine this way. The only thought we give it is a quick review of our companion planting guides.
You will find that perennial leeks are very maintenance free. They don’t suffer from many pests or diseases, slugs and snails are the biggest culprits! I told you they were easy.
And of course, how do you eat them??
Cooking and eating perennial leeks is very much the same as standard leeks. The tiny offsets can be eaten – in fact they can be picked and eaten at any time throughout their grown span. The small offsets make quite good alternatives to spring onions, as they are very tender. We think they are delicious fried with a little butter, but we love to use them in soups the most.
Where can i buy perennial leeks or perennial leek seeds?
Considering how amazing these leeks are, it’s really surprising to find that it’s quite hard to find perennial leeks for sale. You would be lucky to find them in a big box nursery, though smaller independent nurseries are worth checking. Or, you could just pop over to our shop and order some!
Let us know how you go, and don’t forget to Pin & Share x
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