Growing Chives, also Garden chives

Allium schoenoprasum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S       S          
        T     T        
      P P              

(Best months for growing Chives in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 5 cm apart
  • Harvest in 7-11 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Tomatoes, Parsley, Apples

Your comments and tips

11 May 12, Kharnifex (Australia - temperate climate)
Chives took 6 months to germinate in my garden bed, they take an extremely long amount of time, once established, they keep going and going
26 Apr 13, Katieee (Australia - temperate climate)
Do chives use a lot of water?
09 Mar 12, Nina (Australia - temperate climate)
My chives are growing but now covered by tiny blackflea-like creatures. Any clues as to what they are, and how to get rid of them?
21 Mar 12, (Australia - temperate climate)
They are just aphids. Try spraying with soapy water hen hose them off. Good luck =)
17 Jan 12, amanda (Australia - temperate climate)
my chives are 2 years old and healthy, however this past winter they went a bit dormant and still have not had a growth spurt you would expect with the warm/hot weather. they are in beds, i water daily, and use seasol. i also just put powerfeed pellets in the bed last week. how do i get my chives to perk up and be robust?
13 Jan 12, Narelle (Australia - temperate climate)
Even with an electric propagator, I can't get chive seeds to germinate! Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I've tried with 3 different lots of seeds, different growing mediums and different seasons (except Winter).
14 Jan 12, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Narelle, perhaps your seed aren't viable, or your seeds are drying out too fast, or are too moist? I have germinated heaps of chives here in Adelaide merely by putting them into good quality seed raising mix and then into a mini hothouse (the type you get from bunnings) , then keeping the topsoil moist with daily sprays from a water spray gun. You have to be patient though, they take a little while to come up initially!!! Good luck :)
03 Apr 15, (Australia - temperate climate)
Seeds of garlic chives have a viablility of only 1 year. Don't bother with seeds over 1 year old.
05 Sep 11, Graham (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have planted garlic chives around my cool climate garden. Garlic chives have flat leaves about 20 cm tall and grows as clumps. It is hardy and easily broken into smaller clumps as spot fillers. I pull a leaf or two and chew them as I garden. The 8 month season finishes and the plant goes into winter dormacy. It seems hardly affected by frost and after drying to straw in winter, it comes back fresh and green as a background plant in any garden. the 40 cm tall flower stem and seed pod is easily clutched and pulled out as part of winter tidy up.
28 Jul 11, s craddock (Australia - temperate climate)
when you harvest chives to eat do you pull the bulb out or jus t ,cut the leaves thanks.
Showing 31 - 40 of 48 comments

Thanks that info is helpful!

- Deb

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