Hybrid

Jumper

Allium porrum

Wikimedia Commons

Harvest

95d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

4–9

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct Sow

Harvest

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Jumper in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 allium →

Zone Map

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Jumper · Zones 4–9

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing4-6 inches

WaterRegular

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorMild, clean allium flavor with tender, refined texture.

ColorGreen and white

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	—	—	May – June	August – October
Zone 4	—	—	April – June	July – October
Zone 5	—	—	April – May	July – November
Zone 6	—	—	April – May	July – November
Zone 7	—	—	March – May	June – November
Zone 8	—	—	March – April	June – December
Zone 9	—	—	February – March	May – December
Zone 10	—	—	January – March	April – December
Zone 1	—	—	June – July	September – September
Zone 2	—	—	May – July	August – September
Zone 11	—	—	January – February	March – December
Zone 12	—	—	January – February	March – December
Zone 13	—	—	January – February	March – December

Succession Planting

Direct sow Jumper every 3 weeks starting March 1, and plan your last sowing by early May — at 95 days to harvest, you want plants sizing up before hard freezes arrive, though a light frost won't hurt them. That schedule produces a harvest window running roughly June through November. In cooler zones (4–5), compress the window: start as soon as soil is workable and get your final sowing in by late April.

Don't push successions into summer heat. Leeks won't bolt the way lettuce does, but growth slows noticeably when daytime highs stay above 85–90°F, and slow-developing plants attract more pest pressure. Let your last spring sowing carry you through — leeks hold well in the ground and don't need to come out all at once.

Complete Growing Guide

Very upright foliage keeps leaves off the ground, which results in easier cultivation, better plant health, and cleaner leaves at the wash station. Refined shanks with minimal bulbing for easy stripping. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Jumper is 95 days to maturity, annual, hybrid (f1). Disease resistance includes Purple Blotch, Common Rust, White Tip. Notable features: Easy Choice.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Division. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Jumper reaches harvest at 95 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

The capsule splits longitudinally and contains small round black seeds.

Type: Capsule.

Storage & Preservation

Jumper leeks keep best in the refrigerator crisper drawer at 32–40°F with high humidity, ideally wrapped in a damp cloth or perforated plastic bag. They'll stay fresh for 2–3 weeks under these conditions. For longer storage, blanch whole or sliced leeks for 2–3 minutes, cool in ice water, and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to eight months. Drying works well too—slice thinly, dehydrate at 140°F until brittle, then store in airtight jars. Pickled leeks make an excellent condiment; simmer sliced leeks briefly before packing into sterilized jars with vinegar, spices, and aromatics. Jumper's mild, tender white shaft allows it to be frozen raw in portions without blanching if you're short on time—just slice, portion, and freeze directly for soups and stews.

History & Origin

Jumper is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Northern Hemisphere, North America and Eurasia

Advantages

+Upright foliage prevents leaf diseases from soil contact and splashing
+Minimal bulbing makes stripping and processing faster at harvest
+Easy cultivation reduces labor costs for commercial growers
+Cleaner leaves at wash station lower post-harvest processing time
+Refined shanks provide premium appearance for fresh market sales

Considerations

-95-day maturity is longer than some competing leek varieties
-Requires consistent moisture; drought stress causes quality decline quickly
-Tall upright habit may require staking in windy conditions
-Limited disease resistance compared to some modern leek cultivars

Companion Plants

Carrots pull real duty next to leeks: the sulfur compounds leeks emit genuinely confuse carrot fly (Psila rosae), and carrot scent returns the favor against leek moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella). Neither effect is total protection, but it's a documented interaction, not garden mythology. Brassicas — cabbage, broccoli — slot in well because they share no major pest overlap with alliums and don't crowd leek roots at 4–6 inch spacings. Tomatoes and peppers are fine neighbors spatially, just watch that taller plants don't shade Jumper below its 4–6 hour sun minimum.

Beans and peas need to stay on the other side of the garden. Alliums suppress Rhizobium bacteria in the soil — the same bacteria legumes depend on to fix nitrogen — so planting them within a few feet of each other hurts your bean yield in a way that's hard to see until you compare harvests side by side. Asparagus has a separate but similar problem: the two crops inhibit each other's growth when root zones overlap, and since asparagus beds don't move, it's simpler to keep all your alliums well clear of them from the start.

Plant Together

Tomatoes

Alliums repel aphids, spider mites, and hornworms that commonly attack tomatoes

Carrots

Alliums deter carrot flies while carrots help break up soil for allium bulbs

Cabbage

Repels cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles that damage brassicas

Lettuce

Alliums deter aphids and slugs while providing natural pest protection

Roses

Helps prevent black spot, aphids, and Japanese beetles on roses

Strawberries

Deters slugs, aphids, and nematodes that commonly damage strawberry plants

Peppers

Repels aphids and spider mites while improving overall plant health

Broccoli

Protects against cabbage loopers, aphids, and other brassica pests

Keep Apart

Beans

Alliums can inhibit nitrogen fixation and stunt growth of legumes

Peas

Compounds in alliums interfere with beneficial root bacteria in legumes

Asparagus

Both compete for similar soil nutrients and can inhibit each other's growth

Nutrition Facts

Calories

40kcal(2%)

Protein

1.1g(2%)

Fiber

1.7g(6%)

Carbs

9.34g(3%)

Fat

0.1g(0%)

Vitamin C

7.4mg(8%)

Vitamin A

0mcg(0%)

Vitamin K

0.4mcg(0%)

Iron

0.21mg(1%)

Calcium

23mg(2%)

Potassium

146mg(3%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170000)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Common Rust (Intermediate); Purple Blotch (Intermediate); White Tip (Intermediate)

Troubleshooting Jumper

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Leaves turning yellow from the tips down, plants stunted at 6–8 inches with no sign of pests

Likely Causes

Nitrogen deficiency — leeks are heavy feeders and strip available N fast in sandy or shallow soils
Waterlogged roots from poor drainage blocking nutrient uptake

What to Do

1.Side-dress with blood meal or a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, about a tablespoon per plant worked into the top inch of soil
2.If drainage is the issue, ease off watering and check that the bed doesn't sit in standing water after rain
3.Next season, work in a 2–3 inch layer of compost before planting

White or pale streaking running lengthwise on leaves, with tiny maggot-like larvae visible if you peel a damaged leaf

Likely Causes

Allium leaf miner (Phytomyza gymnostoma) — a fly whose larvae tunnel inside the leaf tissue
Leek moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella) — less common but produces similar internal feeding damage

What to Do

1.Cover transplants with floating row cover (Agribon AG-15 or similar) before flies become active in spring to block egg-laying
2.Remove and bag any heavily infested leaves — don't compost them
3.If infestation is severe, spinosad-based sprays applied at the base of leaves can reduce adult fly populations

Soft, water-soaked rot at the base of the shank, with a foul smell, appearing after a wet stretch

Likely Causes

Bacterial soft rot (Pectobacterium carotovorum) — moves fast in warm, wet conditions
Leek white rot (Sclerotium cepivorum) — a soilborne fungus that also attacks at the base; look for white fluffy mycelium and tiny black sclerotia

What to Do

1.Pull and trash affected plants immediately — do not compost
2.Avoid overhead irrigation; switch to drip if you're seeing this repeatedly
3.Rotate alliums out of that bed for at least 3–4 years, since Sclerotium cepivorum sclerotia persist in soil for up to 20 years

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Jumper Allium take from planting to harvest?▼

Jumper Allium reaches maturity in approximately 95 days from transplanting. This makes it a mid-season variety with a predictable harvest window. The exact timing may vary slightly depending on planting date, local climate conditions, and growing conditions, but most growers can plan for harvest roughly three months after setting out transplants.

Is Jumper Allium good for beginners?▼

Yes, Jumper is classified as an easy-to-grow variety, making it excellent for beginners. Its upright foliage naturally keeps leaves off the ground, reducing disease pressure and improving plant health. The minimal bulbing and refined shanks simplify stripping at harvest, and it thrives in standard growing conditions with minimal special care required.

Can you grow Jumper Allium in containers?▼

While Alliums prefer in-ground cultivation for optimal development, Jumper could potentially be grown in containers with proper depth (at least 12 inches). Container growing may require more frequent watering and feeding. For commercial or large-scale production, field growing is recommended to achieve the best yields and bulb development.

What does Jumper Allium taste like?▼

Jumper is a green onion/scallion variety valued for its refined shanks and clean, mild allium flavor. As a hybrid bred for commercial production, it offers consistent quality and tender texture. The exact flavor intensity can vary based on growing conditions, with cooler weather often producing milder, more delicate flavoring.

How much sunlight does Jumper Allium need?▼

Jumper Allium performs well in full sun to partial shade, requiring a minimum of 4-6+ hours of direct sunlight daily. This flexibility makes it adaptable to various growing locations. Full sun promotes the most vigorous growth and straightest shanks, though partial shade (especially in hot climates) can reduce heat stress and maintain quality.

When should I plant Jumper Allium?▼

Jumper, being a hybrid variety, is typically grown from transplants rather than seeds for commercial production. Transplants can be set out in spring for spring/early summer harvest or in late summer for fall harvest. Cool-season timing generally produces the best quality with straightest shanks and minimal bolting concerns.