Growing Great Onions/Leeks: Checklist

Sun: full sun. No negotiation.

Timing: plant sets or transplants as soon as soil can be worked in spring.  Transplants provide a more reliable harvest, although sensitive to being planted out.  2 - 3 weeks of hardening off essential.

Soil: loose, rich, well-drained, pH 6.0 to 7.0.

Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart. Wider spacing gives bigger bulbs.

Water: Deeply.  Will tolerate dry spels. Stop watering once the tops fall over.

Feed: nitrogen early, while leaves are growing. Stop once bulbs start to swell and feed bone meal.

Weed: onions have shallow roots and lose badly to weeds. Keep the bed clean.

Harvest and cure: lift when most tops have fallen over. Dry 2 to 3 weeks somewhere warm, dry and airy before storing.

Rotate: no onions, garlic or leeks in the same spot for at least 3 years. White rot lingers in soil for many years.