How to Grow Great Chives

Chives can be grown for decoration or for use in many recipes. The plant has beautiful purple flowers that are a wonderful addition to any home garden. Here are some tips to help you grow an abundant crop of chives in your herb garden.

The scientific name for chives is Allium schoenoprastum. It is a perennial plant. Chives will grow well in temperature zones three to nine.

The seeds or seedlings of chives should be planted in the early spring. They need to be grown in full sun and the soil should be moist but well drained. Plant clumps of up to six bulbs about six inches apart. Once the plants begin to branch, pinch them back to encourage growth. Chives will not need to be dug up and replanted each year. This is because the leaves are the part of the plant that is used. They will, however, need to have the clumps of roots or bulbs divided every two or three years. This should be done in the early spring. Then, just replant the smaller clumps or you could share them with a friend, if you choose. The bulbs are very tiny and you might not realize they are not just roots.

To help the plants stay free from disease, do no mulch up to the base of the plant. This will help keep the air circulating. Make sure the weeds are kept away from the chives plants. They will not compete well with any other plants for nutrients in the soil.

The flavor of chives is a bit more delicate than onions. They will form clumps that grow up to 10 to 12 inches tall. You can begin clipping the leaves only a month or two after you have planted the seeds. Use scissors to cut the leaves about two inches above the ground. Be sure to harvest from the outside towards the inside. Frequent harvesting will not hurt the plants. However, to keep a constant supply of this herb, it is best to plant several clumps. This will keep you from having to keep harvesting from the same plant and then waiting for it to grow back. The delicate purple flowers are attractive enough to be used as a border planting.

Chives can be used in many recipes and are best if you use them immediately after harvesting. You can mince the fresh leaves and use as a garnish or on fish, shellfish, and poultry. It will also enhance the flavor of such vegetables as artichokes, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, corn, onions, peas, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. You can also use the flowers as a beautiful, edible garnish.

The chive plant is a native of the Far East. It has been used for cooking for about 5,000 years. It was first used in China and then its popularity traveled to Ancient Greece. It was well established in Europe by the sixteenth century in many herb gardens. And, when people colonized American, it was one of the plants that they brought with them.

Growing your own herbs and spices makes your dishes that much more fresh and delicious. There is nothing like going outside to your garden and harvesting fresh spices to use in your recipes. Hopefully, these tips will help you grow all the chives you and your family can enjoy.

SOURCE

Editors "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. "New Garden Book". 1990. Better Homes and Gardens Books. Des Moines, Iowa.

Editors of Rodale Organic Gardening Magazine and Books. "Rodale Organic Gardening Basics: Herbs Volume 5". 2001. Pennsylvania, USA.