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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Chive Plants
Planting
Chives grow best in full sun, though they will tolerate light shade. Ideally, the soil should be moist, fertile, and well-draining. Before planting, incorporate 4 to 6 inches of well-composted organic matter. Work compost into the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. (Read more about soil amendments and preparing the soil for planting.)
When to Plant Chives
- Chives are considered a cool-season crop, meaning they grow best in the spring and fall. The harsher temperatures of summer usually cause them to go dormant until cool weather arrives again.
- For a head start in colder regions, start chive seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.) Transplants need good growth before being set in the garden.
- Outdoors, sow seeds as soon as the soil is workable in the spring. They can take a few weeks to germinate, so don鈥檛 panic! For the best germination and growth, the temperature of the soil should be between 60潞 and 70潞F (15潞 and 21潞C).
- Plant transplants outdoors once the threat of frost has passed.
How to Plant Chives
- Sow seeds about 2 inches apart and no more than 录 inch deep. Cover with a thin layer of soil.
- Once seedlings emerge, thin them so that plants are spaced between 4 to 6 inches apart in all directions.
Harvesting
How to Harvest Chives
- Begin harvesting chive leaves about 30 days after you transplant or 60 days after seeding.
- Be sure to cut the leaves down to the base when harvesting (within 1 to 2 inches of the soil).
- Harvest 3 to 4 times during the first year. In subsequent years, cut plants back monthly.
- The chive plant will flower in late spring or early summer. The flowers are edible and taste best just after they have opened鈥攖hey should look full and bright.
How to Store Chives
- Use chives when they鈥檙e fresh or frozen (freeze the leaves in an airtight bag). Dried chives lose their flavor.
- Store chives in a cool place in a resealable container.
Recipes
Catherine Boeckmann
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As long as the flowers have been pollinated, they will develop seeds. Wait for the flowers to dry out on the plant; at this point they are ready to be harvested for seeds. The seeds are small and black.
At the beginning of the article, it says chives are a companion plant to peas. But under 鈥渨it and wisdom鈥 near the end, it says don鈥檛 plant near peas. Does anyone know which one is correct?
Chives are a good companion for peas, carrots, beets, and others! They can help with deterring aphids.
I like to make chive blossom butter. I wanted to ask if anyone knows if the blossoms from "One Mix" ornamental chives are safe to eat like regular chive blossoms?
I was just provided with a large clump of garlic chives, roots included. I went to use them for dinner and thought I should transplant the roots. Can I get them going this late in the season. I live in NW Pa and the weather outlook for august is 70's to a high of 90.
I have planted garlic chives from seeds indoors in a pot probably close to two months ago. They have grown a considerable length but thin and don't quite look like chives yet. They are too thin to stand on their own and I'm wondering if I should prune the beginning growth to encourage thicker chives or should I just leave them alone and let them flop over?
They need more sun to make them strong. I have a pot full right now that I brought in for winter and they are thin and hanging over. Once they鈥檙e back outside in the sun, I know they will look much better and stand up. Happens every year!
Chives are one of the most useful herbs I grow. You can use literally any part of the plant in cooking and they taste good in just about any sort of savory dish. They don't overwhelm the flavor of dishes either and can be added liberally. Better yet, when you harvest them they grow back and are ready for another harvest in like a week with well-established plants. They basically grow like grass. Just cut them back to like and inch or two from the soil and they'll pop back up again in a week or two. They grow pretty slowly at first and take awhile to get established from seed, but once established they're perennial and will just keep producing more chives indefinitely if you keep them warm. They grow well on a kitchen windowsill too so I usually plant them in containers and bring them in during winter so I keep having chives all year long.
I planted chive seeds in a pot on Aug 8. They were up by Aug 19. Very high germination rate. But now it鈥檚 Oct 2 and they are still very small., maybe 2-3鈥 very thin and mostly lying flat or bending over. It鈥檚 been almost 2 months since I planted them. Shouldn鈥檛 they be bigger by now? Shouldn鈥檛 they at least be standing up? How long til they actually look like chives?
I'm trying to grow chives hydroponically in hopes of growing some chive blossoms. Is there any way to induce the chive blossoming? Any general tips to get blossoms fast?
