Leeks , Allium ampeloprasumvar.porrum , are cool - season vegetable related to onion , garlic , and chives .
They appear to have a thickset stubble , but it ’s in reality a shallow - root , succulent stem consisting of tightly pack layers of matt leaf with a savory - angelical tang resembling a soft onion .
The leeks we rise in home garden are cultivated variety of their baseless counterparts aboriginal to Western Asia and Mediterranean regions .
We tie to vender to serve you retrieve relevant products . If you buy from one of our golf links , we may realise a commission .
Leeks are suit to cultivation in Zones 5 to 10 , thriving in full sun with temperate wet , and rich , well - draining , slightly acidulous to neutral grease .
betimes , belated , and spare - belated potpourri mature in 80 to 150 days for harvests range from springiness to fall .
Leeks develop slowly . mound the soil around them as they senesce keeps the lower dowery pleasantly mild and tender while blanch the green color to whiten .
The stronger - flavored , tough green tops are often used in behind - simmering soup and stocks .
Ourguide to growing leekshas all you require to know to civilize these alliums in the domicile garden .
This article presents 17 companion flora for leek that share like cultural demand .
Here ’s our lineup :
Best Companion Plants for Leeks
1 . Arugula
2 . Beets
3 . Broccoli
4 . Calendula
5 . Carrots
6 . Apium graveolens dulce
7 . Chamomile
8 . French Marigolds
9 . Leaf Lettuce
10 . Lovage
11 . Nasturtiums
12 . Parsley
13 . parsnip
14 . Radishes
15 . Spinacia oleracea
16 . Sweet Peppers
17 . Zinnias
When considering companion plants for scallion , immediately crossbeansandpeasoff the inclination .
alas , Allium family members , like leek , emit allicin , a sulfuric compound that adversely affects legume development and impairs the atomic number 7 - fixing appendage .
On the confirming side , this repels insects , create a beneficial growing surroundings for crop not sensitive to allicin .
And now for 17 companion plants to grow with your leeks :
Arugula , Eruca vesicaria , is a salad green with deep serrated , peppery leave . It ’s a extremity of the Brassicaceae crime syndicate suited to geographical zone 3 to 11 that is harvest - ready in about 40 day .
Because it matures quickly and has shallow source , arugula makes an excellent companion for leeks .
Exceptionally flavourful ‘ Garden Tangy ’ is a high temperature - resistant cultivar suited to succession planting from bounce through midsummer .
‘ Garden Tangy ’ Arugula
It ’s an other mature variety that ’s harvest - quick in only 30 to 35 day . Overall dimension are four to seven inches tall with a bedspread of 10 to 12 column inch .
Garden Tangy arugula isavailable from Burpee .
Ourguide to growing arugulahas more selective information .
common beet , Beta vulgaris , is a red , amber , or white root crop for zone 2 to 11 that make honest leek companion .
The green round top are quick to eat in 30 to 35 solar day , while the roots require 50 to 65 mean solar day to grow .
Plants go to the Amaranthaceae sept andgrow 12 to 18 column inch tall and 18 to 24 inches all-encompassing .
While that may sound like a fortune of garden real landed estate , their spreading leaf cover ground that might otherwise be weed - enshroud , causing competition for water and nutrient .
‘ Early wonderment ’ Beets
tight - growing ‘ Early admiration ’ bring about abundant harvests of 18 - inch greens and three - inch , semi - Earth - forge , deep red - fleshed beetroot suited for canning whole .
Early Wonder beetroot areavailable from Eden Brothers .
See ourbeet grow guidefor contingent .
Broccoli , Brassica oleraceavar.italica , is a member of the Brassicaceae family befit to Zones 2 to 11 and establish in the springtime or fall at the same time as Allium porrum .
It accept 50 to 100 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. to mature to tallness of 18 to 24 inches and a spread of 12 to 24 inches .
The ‘ Waltham 29 ’ is an heirloom cultivar that acquire four to six - inch blue - gray heads , stately shuck , and multiple side shoots for repeat harvest home .
‘ Waltham 29 ’ Brassica oleracea italica
Mature dimensions are 24 to 30 inch tall and about 24 in encompassing . Expect to harvest the first head in 85 to 90 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
‘ Waltham 29 ’ broccoli seeds areavailable from True Leaf Market .
Ourguide to growing broccolihas more info .
Daisy - comparable calendula , Calendula officinalis , aka pot marigold is a penis of the Asteraceae family line long prized for its culinary and medicinal applications .
Typically producing gold , orange , or red flower , today ’s cultivars expand the palette to include bicolored and pastel hues .
plant life heights range from nine to 24 inches with a spread of 12 inches .
They attract bees , butterflies , and other beneficial worm that contribute to botanical diverseness and assist to control pest populations . Plants mature in 50 to 60 day .
Pacific Beauty Blend Calendula
Pacific Beauty Blend is a commixture of orange and yellow double and semi - bivalent flowers measuring two to three in across that calculate beautiful growing amongst your leeks .
Seeds for Pacific Beauty Blend calendula areavailable from Botanical Interests .
Ourcalendula grow guidehas more selective information .
carrot , Daucus carota sativus , are phallus of the Apiaceae family . Their green tops attract good insects , and their deep roots loosen the soil , aerating it and improving drain .
beseem to Zones 3 to 10 , carrots mature in 50 to 120 days , depending on the variety . They are 12 to 24 in tall with a feast of six to eight inches .
‘ Danvers ’ Carrots
Crisp and sweet‘Danvers ’ carrotsproduce four- to eight - in leafy tops and six- to eight - inch roots .
‘ Danvers ’ carrot seed areavailable from Eden Brothers .
See ourguide to acquire carrotsfor details .
Celery , Apium graveolens , is an herb and a vegetable for geographical zone 4 to 10 and a fellow member of the Apiaceae family . You may find cultivars suitable for Zones 2 and 3 .
It has a shallow root organization and leafy chaff that grow 12 to 18 inch tall and four to six column inch all-inclusive . Celery is harvest - quick in 120 to 130 mean solar day .
A valuable familiar industrial plant for leek and other crops , Apium graveolens dulce repels kale moths and other pests .
‘ Utah ’ Celery
‘ Utah ’ has blue unripened , smooth stalk . The total height is 10 to 30 inch , include foliage . The stalking are 10 to 12 inches tall and four inches wide .
‘ Utah ’ celery seeds areavailable from Botanical Interests .
Ourcelery develop guidehas more information .
German Chamaemelum nobilis , Matricaria chamomilla , is an redolent daisy - alike flowering plant in the Asteraceae family used in culinary and medicinal covering .
suit to Zones 4 to 9 , it has blank petal - similar rays and promising yellow essence disk that attract beneficial pollinator to the landscape painting all summer .
ripe dimensions are 12 to 24 inch tall with a spread of nine to 12 in .
German Chamomile
When full open , sweetly fragrant German chamomile flower are ready to glean . leave in place , plants promptly ego - sow .
German chamomile seeds areavailable from True Leaf Market .
See ourguide to growing chamomilefor contingent .
French marigold , Tagetes patula , are extremity of the Asteraceae family with ruffled bicolor , orangish , red , pink , or yellow petal .
The flowers and leaf have a barbed perfume and help to repel pests such as aphid , stem - knot nematodes , thrip , and whitefly .
These annuals can be grown in Zones 2 to 11 , typically blooming from summer to first Robert Lee Frost . Mature dimensions are six to 12 column inch tall and six to nine inches broad .
‘ Triple Treat ’ French Marigolds
‘ Triple Treat ’ proffer eight- to 10 - inch grandiloquent plant life with an adequate spread abundantly invest with bold orange , red , and lily-livered blossom .
‘ Triple Treat ’ French marigold seed areavailable from Burpee .
OurFrench marigold growing guidehas culture selective information .
Leaf lettuce , Lactuca sativa , is a member of the Asteraceae family suited to zone 2 to 11 .
Depending on the type , it has leave of varying sizes with a freeform spread growth habit rather than producing heads .
industrial plant are six to 12 inch magniloquent and wide and are harvest - ready in 30 to 90 twenty-four hours , depending on the cultivar .
Rows of leaf lettuce make excellent weed - blocking ground covering fire between leek and other plants .
‘ Prizeleaf ’ Lettuce
‘ Prizeleaf ’ has tender , honeyed , pleat green leaves with blood-red margins . Mature heights are 9 to 15 inch with a spread of six inches . Enjoy a spring and a fall harvest .
Prizeleaf Lettuce isavailable from Burpee .
See ourleaf scratch grow guidefor details .
Lovage , Levisticum officinale , is a zesty herb and vegetable in the Apiaceae household .
beseem to zone 3 to 9 , it matures to heights of four to six feet with a spread of 32 inches .
The sharp scent emit by lovage may discourage garden pests , profit your leeks and other neighboring industrial plant .
Lovage
The leafy tops are quick to foot in 85 to 95 day . To enjoy the stalks and roots , wait until the second class to harvest them .
Levisticum officinale seeds areavailable from True Leaf Market .
Ourlovage growing guidehas more information .
The trump - like prime of nasturtiums , Tropaeolumspp . are hardy in Zones 9 to 11 but can be grown as annuals elsewhere .
They have a climbing or unfold growth use , and bicolored , cream , orangish , red , or yellow-bellied edible , peppery - tasting flower that bloom from spring to summertime .
plant are one to 10 foundation prospicient and one to three ft wide . They attract good pollinating butterflies and hummingbirds while repellingaphidsandwhiteflies .
Jewel Mix Nasturtiums
Jewel Mix has vivacious yellow , red , orangish , and bicolor flower with ruffled double petals and heights of close to 12 inch .
you’re able to regain Jewel Mix genus Nasturtium seedsavailable from Eden Brothers .
Ourguide to growing nasturtiumshas finish instructions .
Parsley , Petroselinum crispum , in the Apiaceae menage , is a savoury herb for Zones 2 to 11 .
There are curly and flat - flick mixture that mature in 60 to 100 day . matured dimension are nine to 12 inches tall and wide .
industrial plant are hosts toblack morning coat butterfliesand other good pollinators .
insipid Leaf Parsley
Flat leafage parsley matures to a superlative and breadth of 12 to 18 inches . It is smooth for well-situated washing and chopping .
you may receive seedsavailable from Botanical Interests .
Ourparsley growing guidehas more data .
Parsnips , Pastinaca sativa , in the Apiaceae syndicate , are ancestor veggie suited to Zones 2 to 9 that resemble white carrot .
They are sweet and nutty with a pinch of licorice . Their deep base seek nutrients at a broken level than shallower - root crops like leek .
tooth root age in 100 to 120 day for surrender and winter harvests . Plants may achieve heights of 30 to 70 inches with a scatter of six to 12 inches .
‘ All - American ’ Parsnip
‘ All - American ’ is an heirloom cultivar with fine - textured , sweet roots measure 10 to 12 inch long and three inches around .
you’re able to find seedsavailable from Eden Brothers .
See ourguide to growing parsnipsfor details .
Radishes , Raphanus sativus , are Brassica kinsperson members for Zones 2 to 11 .
summertime salad variety are fast - grow and ready for harvesting before the atmospheric condition heat up . Sow winter cultivar in belated summertime for wintertime to spring pick .
Plants mature in 20 to 60 day , depending on the cultivar . matured dimensions are six to 18 inches improbable and six to 9 inches panoptic .
Easter Egg Blend is a mix of spring radishes to plant early or late in the time of year when the weather is cool .
Easter Egg Blend Radishes
It includes assortment with roots that blush garden pink , majestic , red , or white , like Easter egg . Expect leafage heights of five to eight column inch and one - column inch root globes .
Easter Egg Blend radish seeds areavailable from Botanical Interests .
Learn how to grow radishes here .
Spinach , Spinacia oleracea , a appendage of the Amaranthaceae family line , is a rippled or smooth leafy green vegetable for zona 5 to 9 with a mild , earthy flavor .
It matures in 30 to 50 days and provides crop for spring , summer , and descend . It has an upright ontogeny habit with height average out eight to 12 in and a bedcover of 12 inches .
‘ Viroflay ’ prickly-seeded spinach
‘ Viroflay ’ is an heirloom cultivar with an impressive 18- to 24 - inch height and smooth leaves that grow up to 10 in long .
Ourspinach growing guidehas more information .
Sweet or bell pepper , Capsicum annuumlack the heat of hot peppers and these members of the Solanaceae family are suited to cultivation in Zones 4 to 11 .
They ’re shaggy plants , producing common pepper that sweeten and change color as they mature . Sweet pepper hues include almost - blackened , green , orange , purple , carmine , bloodless , and yellow .
Mature dimensions are six inches to five pes tall with a spread of one to three feet , bet on the cultivar .
‘ Red Cherry ’ Sweet Pepper
‘ Red Cherry ’ is a cultivated smorgasbord that produces piffling rounded peppers an in to an inch and a half in diam that age to bright carmine .
flora are approximately three foot tall and wide . They mature in about 85 daylight .
you’re able to find ‘ Red Cherry ’ seedsavailable from True Leaf Market .
Ourpepper grow guidehas more information .
Zinnias , Zinniaspp . , are Dahlia pinnata - like blossom in the Asteraceae family that come up in a rainbow of colors , exclude puritanical and brown .
Suited to Zones 3 to 10 , they are pollinator magnets that draw in bee , butterflies , and hummingbirds , chip in to landscape painting diversity . Plus they wait very pretty grow among your leeks !
dimension vary by cultivar , stray from six column inch to four foot tall and six to eighteen inch blanket .
‘ Amethyst Treasure ’ is a compact hybrid cultivar that blooms in summer with double rows of bright purple blossoms measuring three to four inches across .
‘ Amethyst Treasure ’ Zinnias
matured heights are 12 to 18 column inch with a bedcover of 14 to 18 inch .
‘ Amethyst Treasure ’ zinnia seeds areavailable from Burpee .
See ourguide to develop zinniasfor details .
Garden Harmony
flora that grow well with leeks share their requirements for rich soil that drains well , full sun , and temperate wet .
Avoid planting legumes , like peas and beans , because they will likely break to thrive when grow with leeks .
Consider ripe dimensions when designing a spring up space to promote optimum airflow between plant and put up room to take the air around them for gentle charge and harvesting .
Sow in succession and choose form with various dates to maturity to make the most of all the available ground space . Such soil coverage aids in sens suppression and wet retention .
With 17 possible leek companions , it ’s fourth dimension to take out your garden planner and design a proportionate growing space .
If you found this article informative and want toread more about leeksand companion planting , we recommend :
© require the Experts , LLC . ALL rightfield RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photos via Botanical Interests , Burpee , Eden Brothers , and on-key Leaf Market . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .
About
Nan Schiller
