Gardening

So I've been reading the history of leeks today.

This last year or so, I bought and cooked some for the first time in my life. I never had them as a child, even growing up on a farm, and I don't understand why. They are absolutely phenomenal and I cannot stop cooking with them.

I live in zone 6a, in North America. I've read leeks prefer cold weather. While our summers here do get hot, peaking in July (with tons of rain), our winters have become so mild. It does not snow much here at all any longer. The only month it is truly cold is February, and the coldest weather is usually the driest. Whenever precipitation happens here during winter, it's never on the cold days, winter precipitation brings darling 45°F rain. Least for the last 7 years or so.

Anyway, I've read they grow wild in places like the UK, Wales, and Ireland. I think I could take advantage of our mild winters.

Are leeks something I could plant in the fall? Anyone here familiar with growing them?