01
Early leeks
August to September
Use quick leaves and roots or prepared modules. Sow promptly and keep the new crop watered.
UK succession guide
What to plant after leeks.
Leeks belongs to the onion family. The strongest follow-on choice depends on the exact clearance date—not the crop name alone.
Check my date and regionShort answer
Start with these credible options.
These are useful directions, not automatic recommendations. Use the tool to check whether the sowing window still fits.
- 01
Lettuce
Fast, compact and easy to stagger for continuous harvests.
Read the growing guide → - 02
Radishes
A quick result from very little space.
Read the growing guide → - 03
Peas
Sweet harvests early in the season and a clear handover into summer crops.
Read the growing guide → - 04
Carrots
High household value and flexible sowing in small batches.
Read the growing guide →
When the space opens
Any time from late summer to spring, with many beds freeing gradually as individual leeks are lifted.
- What the bed is like
- Firm, often winter-wet ground with deep planting holes and possible allium pest or rust history.
- The key decision
- The month of the final harvest changes everything. An August clearance has a second-season window; a March clearance opens into normal spring sowing.
Choose by clearance date
The answer changes as the season moves.
These bands are starting points. Use the seed packet and the personalised tool for your region, cover and exact date.
02
Winter harvest
October to January
Options narrow with light and wet soil. Use hardy varieties only, or mulch the cleared strip until spring.
03
Late leeks
February to April
This is a spring handover. Prepare only when soil is workable and match sowing to local conditions.
Clear the old crop well
Reset the space before replanting.
- 1
Lift the last leeks cleanly
Remove remaining bases and loose damaged leaves. Fill deep holes so the next seed row does not dry unevenly.
- 2
Check for allium pests
Distorted plants or tunnelling may indicate leek moth or allium leaf miner. Identify the problem before planting another onion-family crop.
- 3
Wait for workable soil
Late leeks often leave winter-wet ground. Avoid cultivating saturated soil and prepare a fine surface only when conditions suit the next sowing.
Avoid a poor handover
Two details worth checking
Do not follow pest damage with another allium
Onions, garlic and leeks can share serious pests. Rotate to another family and clear debris where leek moth or allium leaf miner occurred.
A staggered harvest can support a staggered handover
You do not need to clear the whole bed at once. Replant short sections as they become available if access and conditions allow.
Questions small growers ask
Specific answers for this handover
What can I plant after leeks in spring?
Peas, carrots, lettuce and beetroot are practical spring directions once the soil is workable. Use the exact clearance date and packet guidance for the final choice.
Can I plant garlic after leeks?
They are both alliums and share pests and diseases. Choose a different family where practical, especially after leek moth, allium leaf miner, rust or unexplained poor growth.
What can I plant as I harvest leeks one by one?
In late summer, fill short cleared sections with lettuce, radish, spinach or rocket. In winter, it is often better to keep the strip protected until a spring sowing window.
Sources and scope
Checked growing guidance
Season, variety and local conditions can move a clearance date. SowNext uses these sources conservatively and keeps the exact-date tool as the final check.
Turn the answer into a plan
Use this handover again next season.
A crop list answers today’s question. Saving the dates and the space makes the answer useful for the rest of the year.
- 01
Check today’s fit
Enter the clearance date, UK region, light and protection so unsuitable late sowings drop out.
Check crops for this space → - 02
Add the choice to your calendar
Choose “Add to growing plan” on a result to save its start date and likely harvest window on this device.
Find and save a crop → - 03
Plan the whole year
Mix pots, raised beds and other spaces, then edit or swap crops without losing the rest of the schedule.
Generate my annual plan →
Before sowing
Three checks matter more than a fixed list.
- CalendarWill the successor establish before its conservative regional cut-off?
- Crop familyChanging family is useful where pests or soil disease have been a problem.
- Space and lightA credible date is not enough if the crop cannot physically fit or receive enough sun.