Chives are a hardy cool-weather perennial, a relative of the onion. the ideas of chive leaves have a light onion flavor. Adds chives to salads and as a garnish for several cooked dishes.

Chives have slender, round, hollow grass-like leaves 6 to 10 inches long. Globe-like pinkish-purple flowers increase in spring on stalks to 12 inches tall or more. Leaves rise from small scallion-like bulbs that grow in clumps.

Once established, chives will grow for several years. Chives will easily grow during a container indoors. Garlic chives—with a subtle garlic flavor—grow a bit like chives; unlike chives, they need flat not round leaves and white not pink flowers.

GET to understand CHIVES

1. Botanical name and family: chives (chives); tuberosum, (garlic chives); both are members of the onion family–Amaryllidaceae.
2. Europe
3. Type of plant: Chives are a herbaceous perennial.
4. Growing season: Chives will grow in air temperatures from 40° to 85°F—spring through summer; plant chives in autumn or winter in mild-winter regions.
5. Growing zones: Chives grow best in Zones 3 to 11. Chives are evergreen in mild-winter regions, but die down and go dormant in cold-winter regions.
6. Hardiness: Garlic chives are a hardy cool-weather perennial. Mature plants can tolerate cold to -35°
7. Plant form and size: Chives from 1 to 2-foot clumps of thin, grass-like leaves (if left unclipped).
8. Flowers: Chives have large globe-shaped purple-pink flowers. Garlic chives have white flowers. Flowers first appear as small bulblike buds among the round green leaves; the buds open into spherical clusters of flowers that resemble the heads of clover blossoms.
9. Bloom time: Chives bloom mid-spring to early summer.
10. Leaves: The leaves of chives are deep green, round, and hollow; the leaves of garlic chives are flat and grasslike.

HOW TO PLANT CHIVES

1. Best location: Plant chives fully sun or partial shade.
2. Soil preparation: Grow chives in well-drained, sandy-loam, a soil rich in organic matter. Prepare planting beds beforehand with aged compost. Chives prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Avoid planting in wet soil which will encourage stem and bulb diseases.
3. Seed starting indoors: Sow seeds indoors from late winter until early summer; sow seeds in flats Seeds need darkness to germinate. Cover seed trays or pots with a bit of newspaper or cardboard to assist germination. Seeds should germinate in about 14 days at 70°F. After germination, as seedlings begin to grow, remove the covering and place the seedlings under a fluorescent light or during a bright window. allow them to grow on until they’re 4 to six inches tall and prepared for transplanting.
4. Transplanting to the garden: Transplant seedlings into the garden from late spring to late summer.
5. Outdoor planting time: Chives are a hardy plant. Sow chives within the garden or began divisions as early as 4 to six weeks before the last frost in spring. The seed will germinate in 2 to three weeks at 60°F.
6. Planting depth: Sow seed ¼ to ½ inch deep. Seeds require darkness to germinate; cover the seed with light planting mix.
7. Spacing: Space clumps or rows of chives 8 to 12 inches apart; plants will fill in over time. To plant divisions, use a spade or shovel to divide existing clumps, reduce leaves to 1 inch above the bottom and replant the divisions covering the bulblets with soil.
8. How much to plant: Grow 4 clumps of chives for cooking and kitchen use; grow 6 clumps for preserving.
9. Companion planting: Chives are said to enhance the flavour of carrots, celery, tomatoes, cress, mint, and grapes. Chives are said to inhibit the expansion of beans and peas. Chives deter Japanese beetles and are said to discourage plant disease on roses, scab on apples, and mildew on cucumbers

HOW TO GROW CHIVES

• Watering: Chives require moderate regular water to become established; established plants will survive in dry soil. the ideas of leaves of plants that dry out will turn brown and papery.
• Feeding: Side dress chives with aged compost at midseason.
• Mulching: Mulch around chives with aged compost or commercial organic planting mix.
• Care: Divide chive clumps every 2 to three years to stop overcrowding. See Propagation below for directions. Protect chives from direct sun in hot climates with shade cloth. Deadhead plants regularly to avoid plants getting to seed.
• Container growing: Chives will grow easily in containers as an annual. Plant chives during a container 6 inches or deeper. Plant several containers to rotate harvest.
• Winter growing: Clumps are often dug up and potted before the primary frost and grown indoors during a sunny window over the winter, but first put the clumps during a sack and put them within the refrigerator for four weeks to simulate winter dormancy; a dormant period is required to send new leaves.

TROUBLESHOOTING CHIVES

• Pests: Chives are generally pest-free. onion louse may attack chives growing during a commercial onion producing region, but thrips are unlikely to bother plants that are regularly watered.
• Diseases: Chives commonly haven’t any serious disease problems, however, in high humidity if plants are crowded fungal diseases can develop.

HOW TO HARVEST CHIVES

• When to harvest: Harvest fresh green leaves continuously early spring to fall, but don’t start harvest until plants are a minimum of 6 inches tall about 5 weeks after planting. Established plants a year old or more can withstand regular harvest.
• How to harvest: Cut leaves with garden scissors or sharp knife. Cut the outer leaves first. Harvest from the bottom of leaves to avoid plants with cut tops. Leave about 2 inches of blade above the soil so as for the leaves to regrow. Always leave some top growth on the clumps to preserve the strength of the bulbs. Stop harvest 3 weeks before the primary frost date to permit plants to flower and therefore the clump to expand. Garlic chives are often pulled roots and every one .

CHIVES within the KITCHEN

• Chives have a light scallion flavor and aroma. Use chives in any recipe that involves raw green onions. the flavour of chives is more delicate than onions.
• Use chives fresh or dried to feature flavor. Snip leaves into salads, soups, and egg dishes; put chives on scrambled eggs or on grilled cheese sandwichs. Add cut chives to vegetables and pasta salads. Sprinkle chopped chives over fish and other entrees to feature flavor. Use chives to garnish onion and potato soups. Chives will add an oniony flavor to vinegar, herb butter, and cheese spreads.
• Whole flowers are often added to salads and omelets. they’re onions flavored. Steep flowers in white vinegar; they’re going to impart their rose color and lightweight onions flavor to the vinegar.
• Add chives at the previous moment when cooking soups, stews, and sautés otherwise the flavour are going to be lost.
• Culinary companions include basil, dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
• Garlic chives have a subtle garlic flavor; use them as a salt substitute in soups and stews and with chicken, pork, and lamb dishes. The leaves of garlic chives are flat and therefore the flowers are white.

PRESERVING AND STORING CHIVES

• Refrigeration: Refrigerate chives during a sealed bag for up to 7 days. Wrap the bottom of a bunch during a wet towel placed during a bag and lightly twist the highest then store within the refrigerator drawer. Wash leaves before storing.
• Freezing: Chopped leaves are often frozen. Snip fresh leaves into pieces and freeze them in freezer containers or plastic bags.
• Drying; Leaves are often dried on a screen set during a warm spot out of the sun with many air circulation.
• Storing: Store dried leaves in an airtight container.

PROPAGATING CHIVES

• Grow chives from seed or divisions; divisions are small bulbs separated from root clumps.
• Seed: Chives are easy to grow from seed; seeds require no special treatment; sow directly within the garden in early spring or start indoors and transplant call at spring or early summer
• Division: To divide chive clumps, trim the tops to about 2 inches long and therefore the roots to about 3 inches long. Pull or cut the clump into sections of 4 to six bulbs each. Replant divisions 8 to 12 inches apart. Divide older clumps in early spring every 3 years.

CHIVES VARIETIES TO GROW

Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) also are called Chinese chives or gow choy. Garlic chives clumps are slightly larger than chives with flat leaves and white flowers. it’s a light garlic flavor.