Chives
Chives are a simple perennial herb to grow at home
Chives are a great fuss-free addition to any garden. As a perennial herb you'll be able to crop them year after year. They produce beautiful purple flowers which, as well as being edible, are a good source of pollen for beneficial insects.
Growing calendar | |
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Sow indoors | Mar - Apr |
Plant out/transplant | May |
Sow outdoors | May |
Harvest | Jun - Oct |
How to grow chives
Sow chive seed 0.5cm deep and thin or transplant seedlings to 25cm apart. Choose rich moist soil in a sunny site.
Water chives well in dry weather. Remove flowering stems to increase leaf production, unless you want to grow the flowers, which are also edible. Leaves die back to soil level in winter.
You can dig up and split established chive plants in autumn.
Harvesting and using chives
Cut leaves to use fresh or for freezing from when plants are 15cm tall, leaving 5cm of stem to regrow. Chive is perennial so the plants will crop year after year. Chive flowers are also edible.
Growing notes | |
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Difficulty | Easy |
Germination time | 10-20 days |
Average time to harvest | From 12 weeks |
Equipment needed | None |
Average plant size | 30cm tall and wide |
Family group to grow with | Alliaceae: onion, shallot |
Seed saving notes | Perennial, can cross pollinate |
Key nutritional content | Vitamins A and C, calcium (when eaten fresh) |