Growing Chives, also Garden chives

Allium schoenoprasum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
P	P	P	P						P	P	P

(Best months for growing Chives in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

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 50°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
Space plants: 2 inches apart
Harvest in 7-11 weeks.
Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Tomatoes, Parsley, Apples

Grass-like leaves in clumps. Likes full sun but not too dry.

Chives are a perennial but die down in winter. You can dig up a small clump to pot up for indoor use in winter.

Remove flowers to encourage a continuous supply of leaves.

If weeding gets away from you, you can easily distinguish chives from grass because chives have a hollow leaf stem and onion smell.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Chives

Use raw in salads or as a mild onion flavour in cooked dishes.

Your comments and tips

25 Sep 24, Nicholl (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate): Will chives come back the next year if planted in a raised garden bed?
Reply or Post a new comment
09 May 24, asha day (Australia - temperate climate): i cant see how much water chives need. please put this info in!
Reply or Post a new comment
11 May 24, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Do you live in the tropics or the mountains. Is it summer or winter. Do you know the difference between dry and over watered. Why not just give it a go and work it out.
Reply or Post a new comment
21 Feb 24, Jen P (Australia - temperate climate): I’ve been trying to grow chives in potting mix for vegetables since last August. Not one sprout. I’m hoping this round will yield something. I’ve grown them before and they grew like crazy. Using the seeds from what I grew.
Reply or Post a new comment
26 Feb 24, Gary (Australia - cool/mountain climate): I have found commercial potting mixes to be a dicy and unreliable investment. I think that some are contaminated. The more expensive the worse. They seem to cause low growth rate or no growth at all. Also you need to prepare the soil at least Three month ahead.
Reply or Post a new comment
03 Oct 23, Robert (USA - Zone 7a climate): If I plant in October when will they be ready to harvest and once they die out in the winter will they grow again in the spring?
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Oct 23, (USA - Zone 7a climate): They will be ready to harvest 7-11 weeks later, so in December/January The roots are still alive and they will begin new growth next spring.
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Oct 22, Peter Chapman (Australia - temperate climate): Chives. I have had my chives in the garden bed for about 6 months. They are growing well, but are prostrate, and falling all over the ground. I have grown chives successfully in previous gardens. Any idea why my chives are not upstanding?
Reply or Post a new comment
17 Dec 22, Peter Chapman (Australia - temperate climate): Disregard my last posting - Chives are now booming
Reply or Post a new comment
18 Apr 20, amy (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): is garlic chives grown like chives? is it too late to grow garlic chives now is mid autumn?
Reply or Post a new comment

Showing 1 - 10 of 48 comments

See comments for all plants

GardenGrow

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Chives, also Garden chives

Allium schoenoprasum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Chives

Your comments and tips

Ask a question or post a comment or advice about Chives

GardenGrow

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Chives, also Garden chives

Allium schoenoprasum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Chives

Your comments and tips

Ask a question or post a comment or advice about Chives

Become A Supporter!

Planting Reminders