Growing Chives: Want to grow chives in your herb garden? Just try these methods
The Chinese were growing chives, the smallest relative of the onion family, as early as 3000 B.C. From then until now, its delicate flavor has remained one of the most appealing culinary seasonings. Chives are a hardy perennial that grows eight to ten inches high. Larger leaved varieties available are Siberian or garlic chives. Characteristics The small bulb grows in clumps, with dark green, slender hollow leaves, and the flowers are tiny clusters of lavender colored blooms. Growing chives require rich rocky soil and lots of sunshine. The herbs can be grown successfully indoors or outside in temperate and warm climates. The plant makes a decorative border, adds colorful edging to a rock garden, and attracts bees. Cultivating Store seeds somewhere cool like the refrigerator or an empty cookie tin in the garage. There is an old English saying that goes, the rule in gardening to never forget, is to sow dry and set wet. Growing chives is suited for containers and will put up with a bit of shade. When planting seeds, make certain the soil is not too loose. Firm the soil by stepping on it after the bed is prepared. Chives may be grown from seed planted in rich pebbly soil but germination is slow. Sow seeds outdoors in the springtime. Clay poses the opposite problem of sandy soils because of being compacted and sticky so that the ground cannot breathe or drain properly. Saturated ground stunts root growth and can cause the roots to rot. Add gritty sand to improve drainage and maintain proper airflow. Loamy soil, which is neither clay nor sandy, is best for gardens because it drains well while retaining water and nutrients, allowing enough air space for healthy root growth. Improve the water retaining qualities of the garden soil by digging in lots of organic matter. The usual and easiest method of growing chives is to divide clumps of several bulbs into small groups and plant in spring or autumn in moist soil. Set the bulbs from six to ten inches apart in a sunny spot. Keep the site well cultivated and free of weeds. In the late fall, a couple of clumps may be potted indoors in a window box. The fresh shoots will continue growing for use all winter. The garden bulbs multiply so quickly that it is advised to dig them up every two or three years and subdivide the clumps to prevent overcrowding. Harvesting At harvest simply cut the leaves as needed. After the flower stalks have blossomed, snip the herbs off close to the ground. Dig or pull bulbs as in pulling small onions. A handy method to preserve chives is to freeze them in ice cubes soon after harvesting. When the herbs are frozen solid, transfer into plastic sealed bags and place in freezer. StorageChop and freeze in bags or ice cube trays for use year round. Uses Fresh growing chives are a popular tasty seasoning in appetizers, cheeses, butter, eggs, sauces, soups, vinegars, and salad dressings to add onion flavor with a hint of garlic. The dried leaves are powdered and prepared with sodium chloride as an herb salt. The tiny bulbs may be pickled. Chives are also used as a stimulant, aid in digestion, and high in vitamin C. Chive tea is sometimes sprayed on plants to prevent gooseberry mildew and apple scab. The flowers are often used in ornamental dried flower arrangements.
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