Gardening Advice: Instruction for Growing Chives
How to Grow Chives in Your Herb Garden
*** Easy to Grow ***
| Nutrition | Container Gardening | Challenges |
| Climate | Planting Instructions | Harvesting |
| Soil | Watering Instructions | Storage |
Chives are a perennial herb, that will stay green year round in moderate gardening climates. They grow well in most garden soils. In gardening locations with cold winters, chives will die back for the winter, but grow again the following spring.
Chives have been used as a culinary herb for around 5,000 years. They're commonly used to flavor cheeses, fish, sauces, and egg dishes. They're also used as a garnish, and to flavor salad dressings and soups. The chopped chive leaves are the primary part of the plant used, but the flowers and bulbs also can be eaten. The dried chive flowers are often used in ornamental bouquets.
Chives can be used as an organic means of repelling insects. Ancient farmers practiced companion gardening by planting chives strategically throughout their flower beds to keep insects away from their plants. The juice from chive leaves is also a good option for an organic "herb tea" treatment for troubled plants, as the juice (besides being an insect repellant) can fight mildew and fungus.
Lastly, as another benefit to planting chives throughout your vegetable and flower garden, bees find chive flowers irresistible. Thus growing chives will help bring these very important pollinators to your garden!
Nutrition Information (back to top)
Chives provide: Dietary fiber, Vitamin A, C, B6, K, Folate, Iron, Thiamin, Zinc, Niacin, Riboflavin, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium
Chives have the same basic health / medicinal properties as garlic, but to a much smaller effect. Most notably, they can help reduce blood pressure.
Climate & Growing Conditions (back to top)
Chives enjoy full sun to part sun locations in your garden.
Container Gardening Chives: (back to top)
Chives will grow well in a pot, as a member of your container garden. If you choose to grow your chives in a pot, watch to make sure the soil doesn't dry out. Feed your plants with a monthly dose of fertilizer, throughout the growing season. You may wish to consider using "compost tea" or "manure tea" as an organic fertilizer. Be sure to take your chives indoors in the fall, as they're less tolerant of cold temperatures when grown in pots. Also, this way you get to enjoy chives through the winter!
How to Prepare the Garden Soil (back to top)
Chives grow best in garden soil with a pH of between 6.0 to 7.0. (Information on how to test your garden plot's soil pH level.) Before planting, mix in organic compost to enrich the soil (For in-ground grown plants, no additional fertilizer will be needed for the season).
Make sure that the garden plot for your chives is free of weeds, as chives have a difficult time competing with other plants.
How to Plant Chives (back to top)
Chives are generally propagated by division. Divide established clumps (in the fall, or spring) every 3 to 4 years to form new plants. To divide chives, gently dig up the clump and separate the bulbs into new plants, of approximately 5 bulbs per plant. Then replant (or give away the extras!).
If planting by seed, sow chive seeds in the spring and cover with a light compost or seed starter. Be sure to keep the garden soil moist until you see the growing seedlings appear (normally within 10 days). Chives grow best in bunches, so thin your plants to approximately 6 plants per bunch, leaving at least 1 foot of space between bunches.
How to Water (back to top)
Chives do not need constant watering. Water only when the soil has dried out.
How to Fertilize (back to top)
If you prepared your chive garden bed by digging in compost, you shouldn't need to fertilize for the entire growing season. Otherwise, water in fertilizer (consider an organic fertilizer such as compost tea or manure tea) once a month.
Gardening Advice Tip: If you're growing chives in a container, you will need to fertilize monthly.
Challenges (back to top)
Chives are normally a problem-free plant, not generally bothered by insects or plant diseases. If you plant them too close to your onion patch though, you may find that your onions share a few insect pests with your chives.
How to Harvest Chives (back to top)
If you don't intend to eat the chive flowers, then you should remove the flower buds as soon as possible. Chive flowers, if left on your plants, will slow the growing of new leaves (as most of the plant's energy instead goes into producing the flowers).
If you've planted chives by seeds, do not harvest until late in the growing season in the first year.
Otherwise, plan to cut the chive leaves regularly. This ensures a continual supply of tender leaves. Cut the chive leaves with scissors, starting at the outside of the plant and working your way to the center. Leave approximately 2 to 3 inches of leaves remaining on the plant.
Storage:(back to top)
How to Dehydrate / Dry Chives (back to top)
Chives can be dehydrated (you've probably seen dried chives for sale at the grocery store in the spice section). However, they loose their taste when dried. They do make a nice garnish though. If you do decide to dry them, keep your dehydrator at (or below) 100 degrees (F) so that you retain as many of the natural oils as possible. Store in air-tight containers, out of the light.
How to Freeze Chives (back to top)
Chives can be frozen very easily. Simply wash, and pat dry. Snip into a usable size, and spread out in a single layer on a cooke sheet. Place cookie sheet in the freezer, until the chives are completely frozen. Then repackage them into airtight containers and return to the freezer.
Gardening Advice Tips (back to top)
Have a helpful gardening tip (or even a fun story) to share about your chives growing experience? Share it with us at: gardeningtips@howtogardenadvice.com
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