How to Grow Perennial Chives
Chives grow in clumps and send up gorgeous lavender blooms that seem to float above their spiky leaves. Not only are chives attractive, they also bring butterflies to your garden and make a useful ingredient in the kitchen. Once established, chives are perennial—that is, they will return every year. If left unchecked, plants will self-seed and spread to other areas of the garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Start chive seeds inside in seed-starting medium. Plant the seeds to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch and cover them with potting mixture. Water them throughly and keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings emerge in 7 to 14 days, depending on the temperature.
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Choose a location for your chives in either full sun or partial shade. These hardy little plants will even grow in a northern exposure as long as they get some sun in the late afternoon.
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Prepare the soil by digging to a depth of 8 inches and working the soil well. An addition of good organic matter like well-rooted compost or mature will benefit chives. Although chives will grow in almost any soil, they like a rich friable soil. Be sure to work the compost or manure in well with the existing soil.
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Transplant your seedlings to the garden location. Water them thoroughly. Keep the soil evenly moist until the new plants become established and show signs of new growth. Do not harvest these new shoots until the plant is established and has plenty of new growth.
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Divide existing clumps of chives every two to three years to create new plants. Dig up the clumps in spring or early fall and gently separate the base into several clumps. Each section will quickly produce a new clump of chives, and the original plant will thrive from the relief of root congestion.
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Harvest the leaves to season omelets or salads once they are 6 inches high. Clip with sharp scissors and cut back to 2 inches from the soil level.
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Snip blooms and use them as a garnish, or add them to fresh salads.
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Cut back the entire plant to 2 inches after the blooms have faded to encourage a second blooming and fresh new growth.
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Allow the plants to go to seed naturally if you wish. Once these tiny black seeds fall to the ground, they will quickly take root. You can easily transplant these young shoots to your desired location in the spring. To encourage many new plants, scatter the ripened seeds in the fall and allow them to grow naturally.
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