How to Grow Leek
'Musselburgh' from Seed
The leek that has stood in Scottish gardens since 1834 -- very thick stems (5-7cm diameter) with a mild sweet flavour, standing through snow and prolonged frost from October to May; a Scottish heirloom recognised by the Slow Food Foundation and RHS for its importance to British culinary heritage; sow under glass January-February for exhibition or in a seedbed March-April; transplant pencil-sized using the dib-and-water technique; earth up progressively; the star of Cock-a-Leekie soup
Leek 'Musselburgh' is not merely a popular leek variety -- it is the leek variety, the one that has anchored Scottish kitchen gardens and allotments since 1834 and remains, nearly two centuries after its introduction, the most widely grown and most highly regarded leek available from seed in the UK. The reason for this extraordinary longevity is not nostalgia but genuine excellence: Musselburgh produces stems of a thickness, flavour, and winter hardiness that most modern bred varieties still struggle to match. The stems are very large -- 5-7cm in diameter at maturity, 35-40cm of usable shank -- with a higher green-to-white ratio than many varieties, which makes them the traditional preferred ingredient for Cock-a-Leekie soup where the green leaf colour and sweet leek flavour create the characteristic broth that has been served at Scottish tables since the Middle Ages.
The winter hardiness of Musselburgh is exceptional even among leeks. Individual plants stand firm in heavy snow and prolonged hard frost without protection, remaining harvestable from October through to April or even May. In a UK vegetable garden, this persistence through the coldest months of the year represents one of the most valuable contributions any crop can make -- fresh vegetables from the garden when virtually nothing else is growing. For northern UK growers in particular, Musselburgh has a specific advantage: it was bred in Scotland, at Musselburgh just east of Edinburgh, for the conditions of northern Britain, and performs with complete reliability in the cold, wet winters that can damage or destroy less robust leek varieties.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Hardy biennial vegetable H7 -- Scottish heirloom 1834; the hardiest leek variety
Stems
Very thick, 5-7cm diameter; mild sweet flavour; harvest October through May
Heritage
Slow Food Foundation recognition; RHS Highly Commended 1918; grown for 190 years
Sow
Jan-Feb under glass for exhibition; March-April in seedbed for general crop
Hardy
Survives heavy snow and prolonged frost; harvests long after other crops have finished
Difficulty
2 out of 5 -- long season but virtually indestructible once established
Understanding the Scottish Heirloom
The Scottish Heritage -- Musselburgh and Its History
The Musselburgh leek takes its name from the town of Musselburgh, East Lothian -- a burgh on the Firth of Forth estuary just east of Edinburgh. The variety was introduced in 1834 and has been grown without interruption ever since, recognised in 1918 with RHS Highly Commended status and more recently by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity for its importance to Scottish culinary heritage. The Scots' traditional association with leeks extends from the famous Cock-a-Leekie soup to competitive leek growing as a community sport in northern England and Scotland -- and Musselburgh is invariably the variety that serious competitive growers return to after experimenting with modern alternatives.
The Dib-and-Water Planting Technique
The traditional UK leek planting technique produces the best possible combination of white blanched shanks and structural stability: use a dibber to make holes 10-15cm deep at 15-20cm spacing in well-prepared, fertile soil. Drop one pencil-sized seedling into each hole without firming the soil around it. Pour water into the hole -- as the water settles, it pulls fine soil particles around the roots, providing just enough anchorage without burying the stem. As the leek grows, the hole gradually fills naturally and the stem is blanched white by the surrounding soil. Earth up progressively as the season progresses to extend the length of the white shank. Do not get soil into the heart of the leek -- a collar of cardboard around each stem during earthing up prevents this.
Exhibition vs. General Crop Sowing Timing
For exhibition-quality Musselburgh leeks -- the enormous, perfectly blanched, deeply flagged specimens entered into leek shows -- sow under glass in January or February at 18-21°C for the longest possible growing season. For a general-purpose crop of excellent eating leeks, sow in a seedbed outdoors March-April, transplanting pencil-sized seedlings in June-July. Both approaches produce outstanding leeks; the January-February sowing simply allows a longer growing period for larger diameter stems.
Sowing & Growing On
Sow January-February Under Glass for Exhibition; March-April Outdoors for General Crop
Sow 1-2 seeds per module cell or sparingly in drills 1.5cm deep at 15-20°C. Germination 7-14 days. Grow on at 12-15°C. Transplant using the dib-and-water technique when pencil-sized (approximately 6-8 weeks from sowing), cutting tops to 15cm and trimming roots slightly before transplanting.
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Sow under glass January-February (exhibition) or in seedbed March-April (general), 1.5cm deep. Keep at 15-20°C. Germination 7-14 days. Grow on in cool bright conditions. Musselburgh is a slow-growing variety in its early stages -- the long growing season is what produces the exceptional thickness and flavour.
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Transplant when pencil-sized, June-July, using the dib-and-water technique. Cut tops to 15cm and trim roots slightly before transplanting. Use a dibber to make holes 10-15cm deep. Drop one seedling per hole. Pour water into the hole. Do NOT firm soil around the stem. Space 15-20cm apart in rows 30-40cm apart.
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Earth up progressively 2-3 times through the growing season. Draw soil up around the base of each leek to extend the white blanched shank. Use a cardboard collar to prevent soil entering the heart of the leek during earthing up. Remove any weeds that compete for the rich soil leeks require.
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Harvest with a fork from October; leave remaining plants through winter as required. Use a garden fork to loosen soil before lifting -- pulling by the leaf snaps the stem. Musselburgh stands in the ground through snow and frost without protection. Harvest progressively as required through winter and spring.
Growing On & Care
Cock-a-Leekie and Scottish Kitchen Tradition
Musselburgh is the leek of Cock-a-Leekie, Scotland's most famous soup -- a dish of chicken, leeks, and prunes that has been a Scottish staple since at least the 16th century. The higher green-to-white ratio of Musselburgh compared to many modern leek varieties gives the soup its characteristic green colour and the intense leek flavour that defines the dish. Beyond Cock-a-Leekie, Musselburgh is exceptional in leek and potato soup, braised with butter and white wine, in a leek and cheddar tart, or simply steamed whole and dressed with vinaigrette while still warm -- a French preparation (poireaux vinaigrette) that is one of the finest simple dishes in the entire winter vegetable repertoire.
Winter Hardiness -- Standing Through Anything
Few vegetable crops can match Musselburgh's ability to stand unharvested in the ground through the worst UK winter conditions and emerge unscathed. Individual plants that have been partially frozen and thawed repeatedly over winter remain entirely usable -- the texture and flavour are unaffected, and if anything improved by the cold sweetening that frost triggers. In Scotland and northern England, where winters are consistently harder than in the south, Musselburgh has been trusted for generations precisely because it never fails. It is genuinely the last vegetable standing.
Nutritional Value
Leeks are a member of the Allium family and share many of the nutritional properties of onions and garlic: they are particularly high in vitamins K and A, contain significant quantities of folate and manganese, and provide allicin and quercetin -- flavonoids associated with cardiovascular and immune benefits. They are low in calories and very high in fibre. The large, thick stems of Musselburgh provide more usable material per plant than most leek varieties, making them particularly economical from a nutritional-return-per-square-foot perspective.
Exhibition Growing
In the competitive leek growing tradition of northern England and Scotland, Musselburgh is the variety of choice for many exhibitors. Exhibition leeks are grown for maximum size, with plants receiving supplementary feeding, blanching tubes to extend the white shank, and careful watering management through the season. For a gardener interested in entering local produce shows, Musselburgh provides the combination of natural thickness potential, frost-hardiness, and reliable performance that makes an excellent starting point.
Crop Rotation
Musselburgh is an Allium and should be included in the allium section of a 4-year vegetable rotation, rotating annually to a different bed and never following onions, garlic, or other leek varieties in the same soil within the rotation period. This prevents the build-up of allium leaf miner, white rot, and other allium-specific problems. In the rotation scheme, leeks typically follow brassicas and precede roots, providing a logical sequence of crop types through the beds.
Rust Resistance
Musselburgh shows some natural rust resistance -- a significant practical advantage in UK growing conditions where leek rust (orange pustules on leaves) can be a persistent problem in wet seasons. While no leek variety is fully immune to rust, the robust, sturdy leaves of Musselburgh typically show less severe rust damage than more susceptible modern varieties. Removing affected outer leaves during harvest and not composting them (to prevent rust spore spread) is the primary management practice when rust does appear.
Sowing & Harvest Calendar
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| Sow under glass (Jan-Feb exhibition) |
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| Sow seedbed (Mar-Apr general) |
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| Transplant (Jun-Jul) |
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| Growing (summer-autumn) |
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| Harvest (Oct-May) |
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Common Problems & Solutions
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Leek rust (orange pustules on leaves) | Fungal disease; wet seasons | Musselburgh shows some rust resistance but is not immune. Remove affected outer leaves and dispose of (not compost). Ensure adequate spacing for air circulation. Rust is primarily cosmetic and rarely affects the eating quality of the thick inner shank. |
| Short white shanks | Insufficient earthing up; too shallow planting | Use the dib-and-water technique (10-15cm deep holes) for the initial blanching depth. Earth up 2-3 times through the season to progressively build the white shank. A cardboard collar during earthing up prevents soil entering the leaf heart. |
| Slow growth in early stages | Normal for variety; long growing season required | Musselburgh is a slow-maturing variety by design -- the long growing season is what produces the exceptional diameter and depth of flavour. Transplant June-July and allow the full growing season without rushing. The mature October-onwards leeks are significantly larger and better flavoured than any forcing attempt would produce. |
| Allium leaf miner damage | Tiny fly larvae tunnelling in leaves | Grow under fine insect-proof netting from March to prevent egg-laying. Most problematic in spring and autumn. Damage is cosmetic but reduce yield of affected outer layers. Musselburgh's thick, robust outer leaves provide some resistance compared to more delicate varieties. |
Plant Specifications
The 190-year-old Scottish leek that stands through everything -- thick, sweet, harvestable from October to May
Sow in a seedbed from March-April at 15-20°C and grow on until pencil-sized (6-8 weeks). Transplant June-July using a dibber: make holes 10-15cm deep, drop one seedling per hole, water in, leave. Earth up 2-3 times through the season. Harvest with a fork from October. Leave the rest standing through snow and frost. This is what Musselburgh has been doing in Scottish gardens since 1834.
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