Things You'll Need:
- Plastic bird bath or urn type planter.
- Good quality potting soil
- Chive seeds or plants.
- optional - a few pieces of gravel or broken pottery
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Step 1
Chives are a great herb to have for cooking, even if it's just for a baked potato. They are also very inexpensive to grow.
They grow well in a container. This has 2 advantages. First, even the smallest well lit patio can have potted chives. Second, as chives get taller, they do not stay upright,but will drape over the sides, which is attractive in an urn type container, or a small birdbath. -
Step 2
Container -
Purchase a small urn type container, or bird bath. The size depends on your location. This must be a spot outdoors, that gets a lot of light and some sun.
For the best effect the container should be at least 12 inches tall, and the depth of the container should be at least 4 inches. The width will depend on your location, and how many chives you want to plant. The goal of this container garden is to have a full container of the plant, so that some of the leaves hang over the sides.
This type of pot can be found in the garden departments of Target, Walmart, Home Depot, etc. So you don't have to go to a plant nursery. Plastic is a good choice, because it is lighter weight and the soil won't dry out as quickly. -
Step 3
Potting soil -
This can be purchased with the pot. Be sure that it is potting soil and not some kind of mulch. If you are not sure how much you need, then put the bag in the pot, to get an estimate of how much will fit. If you want to have left over soil, then buy the big bag, which is probably a better deal. -
Step 4
Chives - Plants or seeds?
This depends on how soon you want your chives, and how willing you are to make sure the soil stays moist while the seeds are germinating.
Chive seeds sprout fairly quickly, about 14 days, and they grow to edible size in 4-6 weeks, depending on the weather. Chive seeds are also inexpensive and can usually be found in the same places that you purchased the pot and the soil. If the pot is bigger than 12 inches across, buy 2 packs of seeds.
Chive plants may be harder to find, depending on the time of year, and the size of the garden center. Look for plants that are green, and not yellowish from under watering. Place the plants in the pot to get an idea of how many will be needed to almost fill the pot. The plants will grow, but you want the pot to be at least 3/4 full when you start. -
Step 5
Assembling-
1. This type of pot usually doesn't have drainage holes. That is fine, since it will keep the plants more moist for a longer period. But adding a few pieces of gravel, broken concrete, broken pottery, or chunks of mulch, will help keep the soil from staying too wet. This is an optional step, but it helps. If the pot might be top heavy with the soil in it, then the rock, etc can help stabilize it.
2. Add the potting soil. If you are planting seeds, leave about of inch of space at the top. For the plants, leave about 4 inches of space at the top. Lightly pack the soil into the pots, to remove any air holes.
3. Plant the seeds - Smooth the top of the soil. Sprinkle the seeds evenly across the top of the soil. Cover with about 1/4 inch of soil. Pat down to pack the soil around the seeds.
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4. Plant the plants - Remove the plants from the pots, and shake off a little of the dirt from the roots. Place the plants evenly around the pot. Fill in with potting soil. Do not put the potting soil too high on the plant. But make sure the roots are well covered. Press down on the soil around the plants so they are firmly planted. -
Step 6
Water -
For the first few waterings, it is important to not disturb the soil. The seeds or roots could become uncovered. Use a water sprinkling can, or gently pour the water from a cup or pitcher.
Keep the soil moist for the first week for the plants. Keep the soil moist for the seeds until they have all sprouted and are about 3 inches tall. After that they will be ok, if they dry out a little.
Before you water, test for moisture. Stick your finger in the soil, about 1-2 inches. If the soil feels muddy, then let it dry a little more before watering again. -
Step 7
Using the chives-
Plants - start using right away. Pick several leaves or whatever you need.
Seeds - As soon as the plants get about 6 inches tall, you can start cutting a few. In a couple of months you will have plenty to pick.
