I believe leeks, like other alliums, are pretty frost tolerant, but it is advised not to plant out until daytime temps get above 45F.

They are very frost tolerant but our last frost date is 2 months away..................

My logic in panting them is the 2 week forcast is good, so it seems silly to try to "hold" onto them for weeks.

Donald, I'm in Michigan, 5a. My understanding is that mature leeks are frost tolerant but seedlings are not as strong. I usually plant seedlings about mid May here, and make sure I have a way to cover the seedlings just in case, because I did lose a planting of leeks to a hard frost a couple of years ago and they did not come back.

Annie

Good point about frost intolerance of leek seedlings. This confirms that. "Mature leeks are frost tolerant, but seedlings are not." Mature leeks can handle lower 20sF. I believe all that is true with onions as well. I wasn't aware of some frost intolerance in onion seedlings.

Leek seedlings are tolerant of light frosts. Hard freezes, not so much. Plant them now if you want. Or if you would prefer to baby them put them in containers now and plant outside in a month.

Rodney

And you asked the same thing last year.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6436853/plant-leek-plants-now-zone-6-ohio

I did ask it last year but it was April which is a big difference. Last year I put them in very early April and they were ok. My logic now was the 2 week forcast is ok for leeks 9of course that can change) so I figured they would be ok - trying to keep bare root for 2 weeks seemed riskier. I kept several just in case and worst case I can cover some for a few nights if needed. Everything I read says this is a month to early so we will see.

Also I had mature leeks winter over last year. I understand seedlings are different but Iahve read others says that a hard freeze kills of the tops but they survive (like garlic I suspect).

Perhaps it depends on how hard the freeze or how long it lasts, because I can tell you that mine did not come back after having suffered two nights in the low 20s.

I'm not much of a risk taker when it comes to my garden, as I've gardened here in Northern Michigan for my whole life, beginning when I was a very small child on this same farm and I'll be 70 in a few weeks. I've spent way too many days chasing down seedlings because I got impatient and put them out too early, I've finally nearly outgrown that "hurry up" tendency. I still succumb occasionally but usually I just wait, reminding myself that another week or two isn't going to make that much difference in most of my garden crops no matter how anxious I am for that first tomato sandwich or the chance for my onions to get an ounce heavier. I've also learned (mostly) not to plant things that just don't like to grow here, but that's a whole 'nother behavior I had to overcome!

Annie

FYI they are fine. It did get down to 25 degrees twice.