How to Revive Floppy Chives

Chives send up tender, hollow shoots in very early spring followed by purple pompom flowers in early summer. As the flowers begin to fade their stalks become tough and the chives' leaves begin to flop and yellow. The best way to revive your chive plant is to cut it back drastically, which encourages the plant to send up new leaves. Here's what you need to do get a second harvest.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Liquid fish emulsion fertilizer

Instructions

1. Start by gathering all the leaves and flower stems together. Tie this clump together with a piece of biodegradable twine (I like to use sisal twine).

2. Use sharp scissors (or loppers if you're working with an especially large plant) to cut the clump of leaves off two to three inches from the base of the plant. Toss the old leaves into your compost pile or yard waste bin.

3. Water the sheared chive plant well, making sure that the water seeps down into the soil and soaks the plant's entire root zone.

4. Dilute some liquid fish emulsion, being sure to follow the dilution instructions on the fertilizer's bottle. Pour two cups of the diluted fish emulsion over the top of the sheared chive plant. New shoots should emerge within 7 to 10 days and leaves will be ready to harvest within 4 to 6 weeks.

Resources

• DigginFood