How to grow chives in the garden and in pots

Chives are one of the easiest herbs you can grow. They are a hardy perennial, so they come back every spring with no help from you. They are often the first fresh herb of the year.

The leaves have a mild onion flavor. The round purple flowers are edible too, and bees love them.

Chives and garlic chives

There are two common types:

• Common chives (Allium schoenoprasum) have thin, hollow, round leaves and purple pom-pom flowers in late spring. They taste like mild onion.
• Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) have flat leaves and white, star-shaped flowers in late summer. They taste like mild garlic.

Both grow the same way. Garlic chives drop lots of seed. Cut off the flowers before they set seed if you do not want them all over the garden.

Where to plant chives

• Full sun is best. Chives also grow in part shade.
• Well-drained soil with some compost
• A spot where you can reach them often, like near the kitchen door

Chives are hardy in cold-winter gardens. The leaves die back in winter and new ones come up in early spring.

How to plant chives

From transplants or divisions

The easiest way to start chives is with a small plant from a garden center, or a piece of a clump from a friend. Plant it at the same depth it was growing, and water well. Space clumps 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart.

From seed

1. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, or sow outdoors in early spring.
2. Sow seeds 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep.
3. Keep the soil moist. Seeds sprout in 1 to 2 weeks.
4. Plant small clumps of seedlings outside after your last frost.

Chives grown from seed are slow the first year. You can start picking a few leaves once the plants are about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

How to harvest chives

Use scissors to cut a handful of leaves about 2 inches (5 cm) above the soil. Cut from the outside of the clump. New leaves grow back in a few weeks.

You can cut the whole clump back this way three or four times a season. Do not snip only the tips. Cutting low keeps the plant tidy and producing fresh, tender leaves.

Chive flowers

Chives bloom in late spring with round purple flowers. The flowers are edible. Break them apart into little florets and sprinkle them on salads, eggs, or potatoes.

The flower stems are tough and woody, so do not eat those. After the flowers fade, cut the flower stems down to the base. This stops the plant from dropping seed and keeps the leaves tender.

How to divide chives

Every 3 to 4 years, the center of a clump gets crowded and weak. Divide it in early spring.

1. Dig up the whole clump.
2. Pull or cut it into smaller clumps of 5 to 10 bulbs each.
3. Replant the pieces, or share them with friends.
4. Water well.

Growing chives in pots

Chives grow well in pots on a patio or windowsill. Use a pot at least 6 inches (15 cm) deep with a drainage hole. Water when the top inch of soil is dry.

To grow chives indoors in winter, dig up a small clump in fall and pot it up. Leave the pot outside for a few weeks of cold weather. Then bring it in to a sunny window. The cold rest helps it send up fresh leaves indoors.

How to store chives

Fresh chives keep for about a week in the fridge, wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a bag.

Dried chives lose most of their flavor. Freezing is better. Chop the chives, spread them on a tray to freeze, and then store them in a jar or bag in the freezer.

Common chive problems

• Thin, weak leaves mean the clump is crowded. Divide it.
• Yellow tips can come from dry soil or old leaves. Cut the clump back and water well.
• Aphids or thrips sometimes show up on the leaves. Spray them off with water.
• Rust shows as orange spots. Cut off spotted leaves and give the clump more air.

More easy herbs

• How to grow dill
• How to grow parsley
• How to grow basil
• How to grow mint without it taking over
• How to grow leeks, another member of the onion family