Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Chives are a clump-forming perennial allium with mild, onion-flavoured leaves and edible purple flowers. They are among the easiest herbs to grow, tolerating most conditions and dying back in winter before re-emerging each spring. Dividing the clumps every few years keeps them vigorous and productive.
Key facts
- Family
- Alliaceae (Alliums)
- Category
- Herb
- Sowing window
- Mar–May
- Sowing depth
- 10 mm
- Watering
- low
- Frost sensitivity
- low
- Days to maturity
- Approx 10 weeks from seed to first harvest
- Harvest window
- Mar - Oct
Sowing notes
- -Sow from seed or divide established clumps
- -Perennial - dies back in winter and re-emerges reliably in spring
- -Remove flower heads promptly to redirect energy to leaves
- -Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh growth
Varieties
Common chives are a clump-forming perennial with thin, hollow, onion-flavoured leaves used as a garnish and herb throughout European cooking. They are extremely easy to grow and produce pretty purple flowers in summer that are also edible. The plant dies back in winter and re-emerges reliably each spring.
Garlic chives (Chinese chives) have flat, solid leaves with a mild garlic rather than onion flavour, and produce attractive white, star-shaped flowers. They are slightly larger than common chives and tolerate heat better. Used extensively in Asian cooking and increasingly popular in Western herb gardens.
Issues & threats
Wilting
EnvironmentalPlants are drooping or losing vigour. Most commonly caused by water stress but can also indicate root damage, vascular disease, or heat scorch. Identifying the cause quickly is important as some causes are serious.
Poor germination
EnvironmentalSeeds are emerging unevenly or not at all. Usually caused by soil temperature being too low, seeds sown too deep, poor seed-to-soil contact, or old seed stock.
Damping off
Fungal diseasePythium spp. / Phytophthora spp.
Young seedlings collapse at or just below soil level, caused by fungal pathogens that thrive in overwatered, poorly ventilated growing conditions. Can spread rapidly through a seed tray.
Yellowing leaves
EnvironmentalLeaves are turning yellow, which can indicate a range of problems including nutrient deficiency, overwatering, disease, or natural senescence. Identifying whether the pattern is upper or lower leaves, whole leaves or between veins, is key to diagnosis.
Stunted growth
EnvironmentalPlants are significantly smaller or slower to develop than expected. May be caused by poor soil, nutrient deficiency, root restriction, compaction, pest damage to roots, or disease.
Chewing damage
PestGeneral chewing damage from an unidentified pest, leaving holes or missing leaf sections. May be caused by caterpillars, beetles, or other insects. Inspect at dusk to identify the culprit.
Sap-sucking pests
PestGeneral sap-feeding pest activity causing weakened or distorted growth. May be caused by aphids, whitefly, scale insects, or other sucking insects. Inspect leaf undersides and growing tips to identify the pest.