Chives Allium schoenoprasum. Chives are the most delicate member of the onion family and one of the finest herbs of French cuisine. Although delicate, chives are a hardy perennial herb with a mild onion taste making it an essential culinary herb. The beautiful pink flower heads are a nice addition to salads and vinegars. Chives are a great addition to any garden setting.
Plant in ordinary, well-drained soil. Snip and chop hollow green spears as needed. Chives grow to a height of 10 inches and can be spaced 15 inches apart.
Ships in Large 4 inch pots. This is just the right size for transplanting.
Each order receives 3 plants.
Planting:
Small clumps or individual bulbs should be transplanted early in the spring. A small patch, approximately a 3 foot row, should be enough for a family of transplants. Because it propagates by offshoots, a patch will begin to compete with itself as it spreads causing the chives not to grow as well. Renewing the patch by digging up a portion of the patch, then thinning it out and finally transplanting to another area of the garden should solve this problem. Container-grown chives maybe planted throughout the year, but the best time is in spring when they establish rapidly.
Care:
Water well before planting because dry root balls are difficult to wet once below the ground. Water thoroughly after planting, no matter what the weather may be to settle the soil around the plants and provide moisture for new root growth. Chives have the same watering and fertilizing requirements as those of other members of the onion family. Since they are fairly shallow-rooted, water frequently although they may still thrive with minimal watering giving smaller yields. Chives generally require little attention.
As for pests, onion maggots are a problem. Diazinon applied in the spring is one of the recommended controls.
Harvesting and Storage:
Pick young leaves in spring and freeze or dry. If you plan to freeze or process the chives, remove all growth about 2 inches (5 cm) above the ground. Do this only once a year, preferably before mid-July, to allow the bulbs to replenish their food reserves.
Gather young spring stalks for crystallizing. After they have been under pots for two to three weeks, cut blanched stalks in spring leaving central shoots to grow. If you want fresh chives, selectively cut off individual plants. This can be done all season long until frost, with little risk of damage to the plants.
