Leek & Carrot Bed

Season timeline

Bed layout

Crops in this bed

• Leek

  Allium ampeloprasum f. ampeloprasum

  Main crop · Spacing 15 cm

  Open plant profile
• 
  Carrot

  Daucus carota

  Companion · Spacing 5 cm

  Open plant profile

Step by step

1. 1
   Start leeks indoorsFeb–Mar

   Sow leeks in trays in late winter; they germinate slowly and need a long head start.

2. 2
   Direct-sow the carrotsApr

   Sow carrots thinly into every second row of the bed.

3. 3
   Transplant the leeksMay

   Drop pencil-thick seedlings into 15 cm deep holes between the carrot rows and water them in.

4. 4
   Harvest the carrotsAug–Oct

   Lift carrots as needed through autumn and clear the rows completely by October.

5. 5
   Harvest leeks into winterSep–Dec

   Lift leeks with a fork as you need them; they stand frost and wait in the bed.

6. 6
   Clear the bedDec

   Lift the last leeks before the ground freezes solid and tidy the bed for winter.

Harvest calendar

The bed over the season

Why this combination works

The pairing works exactly like carrot and onion: the leek moth hunts leeks by scent and the carrot fly hunts carrots, and in alternating rows each crop’s aroma masks the other. The two also share the season conveniently — carrots are cleared by October, after which the frost-hardy leeks have the bed to themselves and stand deep into winter. Leeks keep shallow, fibrous roots while carrots drive a deep taproot, so the neighbouring rows barely compete.

Tips

Trim leek seedlings’ roots and tops slightly before transplanting and drop them into deep holes — do not backfill, just water in; the depth gives long white shafts. Sow carrots thinly to avoid thinning, which releases the scent that attracts carrot fly. Earth up leeks in autumn for extra blanching. Harvest leeks with a fork, not by pulling.