annual vegetable
American Flag leek
A classic leek for soups and overwintering harvest.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-9a
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- LoamClay
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Not rated No deer-resistance category is assigned yet; treat browsing risk as local and variable.
- Black walnut
- Mixed or uncertain Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Plant 0.5-1 in deep
- Container min
- 5+ gal (workable)
- Goals
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest & Use
- Window
- stalks in fall and winter
- Yield return
- 0.3-0.8 lb/plant/season
- First output
- 90-120 days
- Best for
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest window: stalks in fall and winter. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 0.3-0.8 lb/plant/season with a harvest window of 2-8 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Schlaghecken Josef / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 0.3-0.8 lb/plant/season
- 10-year return
- 3-8 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- This season
- Mature size
- 1-2 ft H x 0.3-0.5 ft W
- Spacing
- 0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Plant 0.5-1 in deep
- Container min
- 5+ gal (workable)
- Productive life
- 1 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 4/5
- Data quality
- Low profile, Low yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Seed-starting trays
Propagation / Pre-seasonStart annual vegetables, herbs, and flowers ahead of transplant season.
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Seedling grow light
Propagation / Pre-seasonKeep indoor seedlings compact and sturdy before they move outside.
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Floating row cover
Protection / At plantingProtect young crops from wind, light frost, and early pest pressure while still letting light and water through.
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Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
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Soil thermometer
Timing / Before plantingCheck whether spring soil is actually warm enough for direct sowing, transplanting, and tender warm-season crops.
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for American Flag leek.
- Year 1
- 0.3-0.8 lb First-year estimate from the sourced curve.
- Year 5
- 0.3-0.8 lb
- Year 10
- 0.3-0.8 lb
- 10-year total
- 3-8 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Plant 0.5-1 in deep
- Container minimum: 5+ gal (workable). Use 5+ gal for most single vegetable plants; smaller leafy/root crops can use less.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam, clay soil, and medium water.
- Use 0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 1-2 ft H x 0.3-0.5 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "stalks in fall and winter" and 0.3-0.8 lb/plant/season as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Quantitative data quality is low for this record; verify before buying or planting at scale.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: University of Maine Extension - Planting Chart for the Home Vegetable GardenLSU AgCenter - Expected Vegetable Garden YieldsUGA Extension - Growing Vegetables OrganicallyUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing VegetablesIllinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.