How To Grow Chives – Beginner Gardening Challenge
Have you ever grown your own chives?
When I think of chives, I usually think of a steaming baked potato with all the works including chives. How about you?
Welcome back to Beginner Gardening Wednesday. This is our series where we share gardening tips and tricks that are helpful for any gardener and especially helpful if you’re new to gardening.
Growing an herb garden is a lot easier than it sounds and today, we are going to share with you how to grow chives.
- Easy and Hardy
Chives are a hardy perennial meaning that they come back year after year and there will be lots of them. Keep in mind that this herb could take over your garden, so you may want to section it off. The good news is that chives are especially easy to grow.
- When to Plant
The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends starting to plant seeds indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost. Plant each seed about 3 inches into the soil. You want the soil to be well drained and moist. Every seed should be about 15 inches from the others.
- Where to Plant
If you decide to wait and plant outdoors, then pick a spot that gets lots of sun. You can, however, plant the chives next to carrots. If you are choosing to plant outdoors, then make sure to plant about 4-6 weeks before spring’s first frost.
- How To Care For Your Chives
Make sure to weed often since chives struggle to compete with them. Chive plants can grow up to 18 inches tall. When the chives bloom, which is usually the beginning of summer, make sure to chop the blooms off so that the seeds don’t spread throughout your garden.
Remember to water while the plant is growing. The best way to provide your chives with the right amount of water is by installing an aeration tube when you first plant. These tubes provide your chives with the oxygen, water, and nutrients they need to grow. Root Sticks by Rootwell, Inc. are aeration tubes that are scientifically proven to provide you plants with all they need to thrive.
- Harvest
You can start harvesting chives about 6 weeks after you have planted. You will want to start by cutting the plant down leaving about 2 inches above soil. The next step is to enjoy all of your work.
Have you ever tried growing chives organically? We would love to hear about your experience. Please let us know in the comment section below.
