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 S S S          
      T T T T          
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Chives in Australia - tropical 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

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.
01 Mar 14, Ben (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Just cut the leaves
19 Mar 11, Elaine (Australia - tropical climate)
I've just started growing chives in peat pellets in a little 'greenhouse'. I think it took all of 4 days for them to germinate. We'll see how they go when I transfer them to the garden bed or pot.
16 May 13, John (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Elaine, peat pellets are great but don't forget that other great seedling container. Egg cartons!
30 Apr 10, Leigh (Australia - temperate climate)
I wanted to plant some chives seedlings now, is it too late? and should I wait until after winter?
30 Jan 10, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Not sure if this will help, (hope it does)... I soak my seeds in hot water for a little while and then put them on cotton wool buds, making sure I keep them moist. I've tried seeds in seed trays and the same in the cotton wool, and the ones in the cotton wool always germinate. Then when they're big enough, I plant the seedling and cotton wool straight into a tray or the garden
17 Jan 10, Catherine (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I too have had problems growing chives from seed. They don't even germinate. I tried directly in garden bed, and also in seed trays.
Showing 21 - 30 of 32 comments

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