Chives

Allium schoenoprasum · Onion family (Amaryllidaceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	4 to 8
Sun	full sun to part shade
Water	moderate
Life cycle	perennial
Frost	Hardy: takes frost
Soil pH	6.0–7.0
Spacing	6 to 12 inches
Days to harvest	30 to 60 days

About Chives

Chives are a tough, clump-forming perennial with mild onion-flavored leaves and edible purple flowers. One planting comes back for years and is easy to divide and share.

NC State lists chives as hardy in zones 4-8; the leaves die back in winter and regrow in spring.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Start seeds indoors: 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost
Set out plants: up to 2 weeks after the last frost
Sow seeds outdoors: up to 2 weeks after the last frost

Start seed indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost or sow outdoors after it; rooted clumps set out after frost are easiest. First harvest is about 60 days from seed or 30 days from transplants (USU). Divide clumps every 3-4 years in early spring or fall.

Soil

Adapts to clay, loam or sandy soil as long as it drains well.

Follow a soil test; work in no more than 1 inch of well-rotted compost per 100 sq ft, and aim for a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 in well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

Feeding

May: nitrogen fertilizer such as 21-0-0. Sprinkle about 1 tsp per square foot around the clump and water it in.
July: nitrogen fertilizer such as 21-0-0. Sprinkle about 1 tsp per square foot around the clump and water it in.

Too much fertilizer can hurt chives; slower, compact growth gives stronger flavor and healthier plants. Established clumps only need a very light spring feeding if heavy cutting weakens them.

Harvest

Begin cutting once plants are about 6 inches tall, clipping leaves at the base. The flowers are edible too.

Snip leaves at the base of the plant as needed, all season, year after year. Cut off flower stalks at the soil line after bloom to keep plants productive, and divide clumps every 3 to 4 years.

Varieties (17)

Variety	Type	Days	Notes
Album	Chives		White-flowered form of chives.
Dolores	Chives		Seed-grown cooking type with narrow, dark green leaves and an even, upright habit.
Forescate	Chives		Vigorous, 18-20 inches tall, with larger, brighter rose-pink flowers than the species.
Grolau	Chives		Extra-strong flavor. Swiss strain bred for indoor growing, with thick, dark leaves that are less likely to get leggy.
Marsha	Chives		Very deep purple flowers.
Nelly	Chives		Fine, blue-green leaves with a uniform upright habit.
Pink Giant	Chives		Taller than other chives, with blue-green leaves about twice normal size and large clear pink flowers.
Pink Perfection	Chives		Pink-flowered chives that hold the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.
Profusion	Chives		Sterile flowers that set no seed, so it blooms longer and does not self-sow; many tender flowers; good in pots.
Snowcap	Chives		Semi-dwarf, white-flowered, 12-15 inches tall.
Staro	Chives		Extra-thick, dark leaves.
Common chives	Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)	80 days	Mild onion flavor; the flowers are edible too. Clumps of hollow, grass-like leaves 12-18 inches tall with pale purple ball-shaped flowers in spring.
Geisha	Garlic chives
Kobold	Garlic chives		More compact and uniform than typical garlic chives.
Garlic chives	Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum)	80 days	Mild garlic flavor, between garlic and onion. Flat leaves and fragrant white flowers in late summer; about 12-18 inches tall.
Curly chives	Ornamental chives	55 days	Flat, curled and twisted leaves with large pink flowers; suits rock gardens.
Curly Mauve	Ornamental chives		Low foliage that curls in all directions, with upright gray-lavender flowers.

Pests to watch for

Thrips, Onion maggot, Allium leafminer

Diseases and problems

Pink root, Downy mildew

In the kitchen

Leaves and flowers are eaten raw in salads and sandwiches or cooked in soups.

Keeping it: Chives are best cut fresh right before you use them. Snipped extras keep a few days in the refrigerator with the stems in a little water.

Pets: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA): n-propyl disulfide can cause vomiting and break down red blood cells (anemia)

Sources

Photo: Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.