Chives

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​Chives are low maintenance, robust, easy to grow perennials. The chopped stems and pink flowers add a fresh, mild green onion flavour to sandwiches, salads, and baked potatoes. These plants are very robust and if given some protection from extreme cold it’ll last throughout the winter. Plant these useful herbs for refreshing colour and delicious meals!

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​Timing:  Start indoors in a warm, light-plentiful environment from January - May, and transplant in the springtime once the weather is warmer. It is important to note that if the weather is still cold in the springtime, young plants may need to be placed in a greenhouse before they are to be left fully outside. 

Sowing: Sow seeds 5 mm - 1 cm (1/4-1/2”) deep in planters. Keep moist, warm, and in direct light until they germinate.  

Thin them out regularly to provide room for  growth. Transplant them into larger, individual pots if applicable in 1.5 months, or roughly when there is insufficient root-space for the plants to grow. Once the weather has warmed, begin hardening them slowly to eventually transplant outside in the spring. 

Growing: Clumps of chives may grow to be 30cm wide, at which point they should be divided to replant 30cm apart, or broken up for container planting. Keep chives watered regularly and in plenty of light. To increase foliage production, cut flower stems before they open up. 

Harvesting: Cut as much as you need as the entire plant can be cut down to 4cm above the ground. Use fresh portions of chives regularly, and the flowers can be used to flavour vinegar or in salads.