Growing chives

Overview

Chives are hardy perennial members of the onion family that form dense tufts of hollow, grass-like leaves. They are among the first herbs to reappear in spring, and their mild onion flavour lifts eggs, potatoes, soft cheese and salads. The rounded mauve flowers in early summer are edible too and are much loved by bees, so they earn a place in an ornamental border as well.

Varieties to try

Common chives are what most nurseries sell and are perfectly good. 'Staro' has thicker leaves that hold up well for cutting, and 'Polyvert' is a vigorous, blue-green form. 'Forescate' carries rose-pink flowers. Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, have flat leaves, a gentle garlic taste and white flowers in late summer, extending the season nicely.

Soil and site

Best soil: Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil.

Chives tolerate a little shade but grow thicker and flower better in sun. They prefer soil that holds some moisture, so dig in compost on light, sandy ground. They make an attractive edging along vegetable beds or paths, and some gardeners like them beside carrots and roses.

Sowing and planting

Sow a pinch of seed into modules indoors in March or April, or directly outdoors from mid-spring, as chives germinate well in warm soil. Grow them on in small clumps of several seedlings rather than singly. Buying a pot from a garden centre and splitting it into three or four pieces is the quickest start.

Spacing: Plant small clumps rather than single bulbs; a 20 cm pot holds one generous clump.

Care

Water in dry weather, especially in pots, where clumps quickly become congested and yellow. A liquid feed after a hard cut helps regrowth. Once flowering finishes, shear the whole plant to about 5 cm to produce a fresh crop of leaves. Every three years, lift and divide the clump in spring or autumn and replant the vigorous pieces.

Harvesting and storing

Cut leaves with scissors a few centimetres above the soil, taking a handful at a time from one side of the clump. This keeps it producing new shoots, whereas snipping just the tips leaves brown, unsightly ends. Pull flowers apart into florets to scatter over salads. Chives freeze better than they dry, chopped into bags or ice cubes.

Common problems

Chives are generally healthy. Rust can produce orange spots on leaves in damp, crowded conditions; cut affected growth down to the base and the new leaves often come clean. Drought stress makes leaves yellow and tough, especially in pots, so water consistently and refresh compost when dividing.

Read more on the problems that most often hit chives:

• Allium leaf miner
• Drought stress
• Leek moth
• Onion white rot
• Rust

Not sure what you're looking at? Try diagnosing it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for chives come round in March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. Each month page lists the rest of the garden's jobs for the same weeks.

Grow alongside

• Parsley
• Onions
• Garlic
• Ornamental onion

Sources

Names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; timings and spacings reflect UK growing practice and were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.

• Kew Plants of the World Online — Allium schoenoprasum
• Wikipedia — Chives