When to plant leeks
The rule
Method: Start seeds indoors, then transplant. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Leeks is frost-hardy; it's grown as a spring/summer crop.
Leeks planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant / sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | February 15 – March 1 | April 19 – May 3 | — |
| Zone 2b | February 23 – March 9 | April 27 – May 11 | — |
| Zone 3b | February 18 – March 4 | April 22 – May 6 | — |
| Zone 4a | February 12 – February 26 | April 16 – April 30 | — |
| Zone 4b | February 8 – February 22 | April 12 – April 26 | — |
| Zone 5a | February 10 – February 24 | April 14 – April 28 | — |
| Zone 5b | February 2 – February 16 | April 6 – April 20 | — |
| Zone 6a | January 29 – February 12 | April 2 – April 16 | — |
| Zone 6b | January 22 – February 5 | March 26 – April 9 | — |
| Zone 7a | January 14 – January 28 | March 18 – April 1 | — |
| Zone 7b | January 5 – January 19 | March 9 – March 23 | — |
| Zone 8a | December 25 – January 8 | February 26 – March 12 | — |
| Zone 8b | December 15 – December 29 | February 16 – March 2 | — |
| Zone 9a | December 1 – December 15 | February 2 – February 16 | — |
| Zone 9b | November 3 – November 17 | January 5 – January 19 | — |
| Zone 10a | October 16 – October 30 | December 18 – January 1 | — |
| Zone 10b | October 21 – November 4 | December 23 – January 6 | — |
What you'll need
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Seed-starting traysBurpee SuperSeed 36-cell trayReusable cells that pop seedlings out with the roots intact at transplant time.See it on Amazon- Seed-starting mixEspoma Organic Seed StarterA fine, sterile mix so small seeds can push through and seedlings don't rot.See it on Amazon
- Grow lightBarrina T5 LED grow lights, 4-packA windowsill is too dim in late winter; a light 2–3 in. above keeps seedlings short and sturdy.See it on Amazon
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Calendar computed 2026-09-27. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.