When cutting the leaves, cut the entire leaf, almost down to the soil. Dividing your chives regularly will make your herbs more productive. Don’t worry about some lost roots; chives’ roots regrow very fast. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! Copyright © Reese Amorosi and Glamorosi Cooks 2017-2021, all rights reserved. Remember to divide the plants every 3 to 4 years in the spring. Leave them in the bag for a few days to be sure they are completely dry, then seal them in envelopes with the date marked. Because it’s synthetic, it doesn’t break down, and can be reused. It needs full sun, 6 hours or more each day, to grow well. Potted chives are less winter hardy, by one or two zones, than those grown in the ground. While it might appear extreme, the plant won’t skip a beat. Chives can grow in a pot as small as 4″ across, and doesn’t mind being potbound for some time. Don’t lose sleep over this process. Clipped fresh chives is very nice on a chilly day with a baked potato, melted cheese or sour cream, crumbled bacon, topped with barely cooked broccoli… and butter…. In the colder regions, it behaves as a herbaceous perennial, dying back to the soil after a few hard freezes. This herb, in the onion family, benefits from an occasional division. Add more soil if needed. And there’s garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, with a distinct mild garlic flavor. One year, the chives will look fine, and the next year it might fail to emerge. Removing the foliage makes the process easier and neater. Here’s how to divide chives for an endless supply of free plants – in 4 easy steps. How To Get Healthy? Chives planted in the garden might need fertilizer only once or twice during the growing season. Chives need a … Lift the clump with a fork and shake off as much soil as possible. To grow garlic chives (Allium tuberosum), follow the same directions outlined for onion chives, but remember that their blooms – white, flat flowers – appear in the Fall. Place chopped chives in ice cube trays and fill with just enough water to cover them. I kept 12 to 20 shoots in each division. Use a shovel to lift the chives out of the soil – there will be bunches of tiny onion-like bulbs – then break the clump apart by hand or with a trough. Plant out the divisions to make new chive plants, or pass them on to friends. Separate the bulbs and stems, using your fingers this should be fairly easy. Daffodil Bulbs: Divide, and Multiply the Flowers, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in Belmont NC. Pull or cut the clump into sections of 4 to 6 bulbs each. Chives are most commonly propagated by dividing the clumps in early spring. Different varieties of chives have similar flavor, but some have finer foliage than others. Dig up an established (4+ years old) clump in spring or autumn. If you must keep chives indoors in the summer, set the pot back a few inches from the glass. And remove that center part if there are no bulbs there. Nationally, I work as a recipe developer and menu planner, and I do product testing and reviews. Tornado in Matthews NC! This morning's harvest: Cherokee Purple tomatoes. American goldfinch. Chives Varieties to Grow. Chives are relatively problem-free, but let’s cover the possibilities for trouble so can … Lack of adequate sun causes thin, weak growth that falls over. Cut off all the foliage, down to about 1/2″ from the soil surface. Even if the windowsill is chilly on winter nights, the plant should thrive there. Always thoroughly wash all produce before eating. However, you can also divide chives in early fall, which has its benefits. If onion aphids have weakened your chives early in the season, removing all the foliage is an option. The best time of year to divide chives is the early spring, notes the University of Minnesota Extension. It also spreads underground more vigorously than onion chives. Required fields are marked *. All of the recipes on 'Glamorosi Cooks' are extensively tested dishes I serve on a regular basis. A small bag can be purchased for a few dollars at hobby shops. Here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States (Zone 7b), we have four distinct seasons of weather, and each offers a wealth of culinary options. Place a wad of polyester fiberfill over the pot’s drainage hole. (As you can probably tell from the natural lighting, these photos of dividing chives were taken in the fall.) Chives need to be divided every two to three years. Step 1. Step 2. New leaves emerge from dormant bulbs in the ground when the soil warms up. Start With More Greens! In fact, chives can tolerate quite dry soil. Lift and divide congested clumps to rejuvenate them. The stalk, or peduncle, that the flower is attached to is quite tough, and not edible. Expect each clump to grow approximately 18-24 inches tall and wide. Chives seem to quickly form a fairly large clump, so unless you want that clump to get larger, you will have to divide them at some point. Hold the base of the plant, and pull out the entire flower stem. Bear in mind your chives will be more productive if they aren’t overly crowded below ground. Learn how your comment data is processed. I believe ANYONE can make delicious meals from scratch if they have the desire and a bit of confidence. Identify the places where natural divisions can be separated. (I also cut them down several times during the growing season because by mid-summer the leaves can get a bit tough. Your email address will not be published. Dividing chives is an easy project for a cool end-of-summer day. I like to cut mine back to two inches from the ground as the leaves will then regrow and provide me with a … You'll find that, instead of being a single plant, … Over time, chive plantings become thick, tangled and unproductive. Dividing for Healthy Growth. To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! says Sophie. Onion chives (Allium schoenoprasum), a member of the allium family, are very easy to grow from seed. Chives form grass-like clumps that grow wider and tighter as time passes, so it is good to divide them every few years (or as needed). Many plants benefit from being split in the Spring, but chives thrive when divided in the Fall. Replant the divided plants in rich soil and water them well. JENNY’S TIP FOR BUYING GARLIC CHIVES Choose fresh, crisp chives that are not wilted. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But for the best growth, keep potted chives damp to moist. Another reason to divide chives is to provide more plants for the garden, to give away, or to sell at the neighborhood yard sale. Time for Smaller Trees. It looks like their cousins, the ornamental Alliums, grown from bulbs and planted in autumn. Water thoroughly, and then let it dry a bit. Every few years, divide your chive clumps. Why Divide Chives? Step 3. This encourages new growth, and it also makes it easier to work with them. I LOVE food and organic gardening, and I'm passionate about cooking with fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Generally, the best time to divide is in late winter to early spring. After three or four years, divide your plants. Young flowers have a milder flavor than those that have been open for a few days. Dividing plants every two to four years further promotes growth. Dividing Chives. Bees and Butterflies: At Home In Your Garden. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! In addition, chives divided in late summer never fail to bloom beautifully in spring. As for the terms “species” and “impatiens”, I add the “s” at the end. Keep the soil damp. Chive leaves can be harvested the first season, but it usually takes a year for the plant to mature and produce light purple blossoms in the Spring. And now that fall is here, a rejuvenated plant will reward you with a fresh crop of flavorful leaves until the snow flies. Lavender Cuttings: Tips for Propagating Lavender. Dividing is recommended to ensure your plant stays lush and healthy from year to year. The PF prevents soil erosion, leaving all the soil in the pot. There are two ways to propagate your chives: dividing and seed sowing. One year, the chives will look fine, and the next year it might fail to emerge. This activity usually happens in late winter or early spring. Like chives, garlic chives … You can divide established chive plants in early spring or fall. Clumps should contain about 4-6 bulbs. Chives growing in the ground can also become congested. Divide them into clumps of at least 10 small bulbs and allow divided plants to grow for several weeks before harvesting. They deteriorate quickly, but can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Locally, I teach garden-to-table cooking classes and tea workshops, do occasional personal chef gigs, and work as a garden designer in the Philadelphia area. For my parents, and for my Aunt Lily. Garlic chives grows in zones 4 through 9, and has pretty white flowers later in the season. Chives are members of the lily family grown for their leaves and flowers, which are equally popular in the garden and in the kitchen. To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! To keep clumps growing vigorously, it's a good idea to divide them every few years: Lift the clump with a fork to avoid damaging the bulbs as well as garden worms Chives prefer a full sun location and are tolerant of a wide variety of soils but will grow best in soils that are high in organic matter. I, Alstroemeria, aka Peruvian Lily, has a long bloom, The Purple Passionflower, aka maypop, looks like a. Please note that due to the global coronavirus pandemic, all classes are canceled until further notice. Onion chives are one of my Spring favorites; the leaves and blossoms are among the first edible perennials to grace our kitchen garden each Spring. It’s very pretty in bloom, with pinkish purple flowers on sturdy stalks. To keep plantings vigorous and from becoming overcrowded, divide p… It depends on the size of the plant and the project. The new root ball will get stuck on the debris clinging to the walls. At the end of the season, cut the chive … Chives just isn’t that fussy. I am Reese Amorosi, -aka- "Glamorosi." You’ll have longer leaves to snip from rejuvenated plants within two weeks, depending on weather. Every 4 to 6 weeks, from mid fall through winter, apply a dilute (1/4 to 1/2 strength) solution of fertilizer, if the plant continues to grow well. Companion Plants for Chives. I will replant the same pot with one of the divisions, after cleaning it. You simply dig up the entire clump of chives in early spring, chop it into two or three pieces with a shovel and replant each one separately. Some gardeners use onion and garlic chives as a perennial edging or … Pot grown chives will need dividing and repotting every couple of years. This ensures a fresh start for more chives. Division. Plants grown from seed will produce variations in leaf texture and size. If you are dividing in fall, consider potting up a clump to grow indoors for winter. Problems and Solutions to Growing Garlic Chives. Chive plants are extremely hearty to division. Tease off loose soil, and put the earthworms back in the garden. Double-potting lets you use a pot without a drainage hole, but don’t let water collect at the bottom. For Kim’s answers to thousands of gardening questions, search: “Kim Carlisle’s Tips Toward Better Gardening”. When to Harvest Chives Chives are ready to … Mature and established chives can be divided every three to four years. Place the plant close to a light source to supplement the natural light it gets, but not so close it can feel the heat. Dividing chives into small clumps and potting/planting them is relatively simple. Better yet, share plants with friends and neighbors when it’s time to divide … Step 4. Spring and fall are the ideal times to propagate chives by division. Extend your knowledge in these categories. Here's how I did it this spring. Please note that that chive blossoms left on the plant will eventually dry and contain many seeds that germinate easily, so clip them if you don’t want them self-seeding throughout your garden. Those old bulbs might already have decomposed, and you won’t see them in the soil. (If harvesting in the fall, this is the last harvest before winter.) Now divide the plant. Planting Chive Seeds Choose an 8 in × 8 in (20 cm × 20 cm) pot with drainage holes. Many plants benefit from being split in the Spring, but chives thrive when divided in the Fall. By dividing the clump every 2 or 3 years, the younger and more vigorous bulbs will have a chance to grow. Pruning encourages new growth). Here in North Carolina, zone 7b, a pot-grown chives keeps some usable foliage through most of our winters. Many nurseries sell mature chives in two-to-three inch pots and you can actually take these clumps and divide them into about four plants for transplant into your patch. By dividing the clump every 2 or 3 years, the younger and more vigorous bulbs will have a chance to grow. To view my class schedule and booking information click on "Classes & Events" at the top of this page. Also, sowbugs, earthworms, and other critters will not be able to gain entrance to the soil through the drainage hole. Water the plant, and place the pot in the sun. To keep clumps growing vigorously, it's a good idea to divide them every few years: "With all your excess material, you can start a new chive border!" Fall Cleanup: Making Brush Piles for Wildlife, Homemade Chicken Soup and Buttery Biscuits. Divisions can be replanted. Use the knife to make a few or several divisions. Just dig out a section of the plant and put in a new location. But water will drain freely. Divide older clumps in early spring every 3 years. A big pot holds a large volume of soil that stays wet in a rainy period or in the cold. Wasn’t that easy? The best time to divide chives for forcing indoors is on a dry day in autumn when the soil is moist but not wet – it shouldn't stick to your boots. Wet soil exacerbates any problems it might have, so plant it where the drainage is good, in a raised bed, or in a clay pot. Take the good leaves to the kitchen, and add them to baked potatoes for dinner, or to eggs, a salad, or soup. You can divide the plant into several pieces, aim for around 7 – 10 shoots per division. To harvest chive leaves, cut them down to two inches above the soil – this will encourage new growth and provide good air circulation. Some gardeners use the singular form of the word, “chive”, and others prefer using “chives” for both singular and plural applications. Chives form grass-like clumps that grow wider and tighter as time passes, so it is good to divide them every few years (or as needed). The root ball in a potted plant will become very congested with tightly packed roots, both dead and alive. At the end of the season, cut the chive clumps down to a few inches tall. Abundant sunshine allows optimal photosynthesis and keeps the plant growing strong. If you have any cooking or gardening questions, please don’t hesitate to email me, I am happy to help! Done! Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) is super hardy, and grows as a perennial in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 9. Your choice. Trim the chives, leaving around 3″ of leaves on the plant. 2. This allows time for the plant to become established in the container and adjust gradually to the lower light levels inside the house before winter. Preferring moisture retentive, well-drained soil and a sunny or partially shaded position outdoors, chives form 30cm (1ft) tall clumps and can also be grown in pots of soil-based compost. Firm the soil around the roots to prevent settling or air channels through the soil. Use an old serrated knife to slice off the outer edges of the roots. They can also be grown from seed sown in spring. Rich, fertile soil is recommended, but chives aren’t fussy and usually grow where they are planted, within reason. How to Divide Chives for an Endless Supply of Free Plants – 4 Easy Steps January 10, 2021 January 10, 2021 admin admin 0 Comments . To jump ahead a season, chive starts are widely available, or if you know someone who grows chives you may score freebie plants via division (see below). Chives, either in the garden or a container, really need to be split to maintain their vigour. Required fields are marked *. Chives grows easily in a sunny window, where it gets at least 6 hours of direct sun. HOW TO DIVIDE GARLIC CHIVES 1. Hello! Chives are such hardy, friendly little plants that they are often grown as companion plants for other garden vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Use organically grown chives and blossoms so that you don’t ingest pesticides or other harmful chemicals. Chives are top of my list for easy-to-grow herbs – outside or inside. It will bloom only if it has received enough cold, so don’t expect flowers. Compost this tired soil or toss it under the shrubs. To maximize your harvest its important to cut them back before the plant gets too tall. Please notify me when new posts are published. Wherever I’ve lived, it has always been the first herb to sprout new foliage in late winter or early spring. Start them indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost by planting 1/4 deep in seed starting mix. Your email address will not be published. If you’re removing your chives from the ground, dig a few inches from the base of the clump, and about 8″ deep. The bulbs will soon generate new growth. Empty excess water that collects in a saucer. Artificial light can help on cloudy days. It grows on the protected sunny deck, surrounded by walls and a fence. Take a section off to share or pot inside for fresh chives all winter, or divide the entire clump into pieces. You may get an … This will make the plants more productive and the chives more tender. In division, you separate the small bulbs from the root clumps. Division: To divide chive clumps, trim the tops to about 2 inches long and the roots to about 3 inches long. Before you begin, make plans for where you will plant your divisions. Ron Finley. After a few years of growth, the small bulbs in the soil become very crowded. MasterClass Suggested for You. If the top curves inward, the root ball won’t get beyond the narrow section, and you’ll have to cut straight or tapering sides to get the root ball out of the pot. Chives, the day after dividing the original plant. Online classes taught by the world’s greatest minds. Chives need dividing every two to three years to stop the plants from overcrowding each other, which will result in weak and thin growth. Freeze, then thaw as needed, or add whole cube directly into recipes where the extra bit of water won’t matter (like some soups). Rejuvenate congested clumps in the ground by lifting and dividing plants every three years or so. To save the seeds, put the blossoms upside-down in a paper bag and shake them loose. The soil line should be about 1/2″ to 1″ below the rim of the pot. The plant in the photos has been growing in a 6 1/2″ clay azalea pot (shorter than wide–about 5″ tall). Step 1. Dig up the plants in early spring and cut them apart with a shovel. My Christmas Cactus started blooming yesterday. Late summer into early fall is the perfect time to divide and pot up chives to grow on a sunny windowsill indoors for fresh harvests all winter. Chives are much more productive if divided regularly. Vegetable Korma with Coconut, Cashew, Yogurt Sauce, Roasted Shishito Peppers with Honey and Smoked Sea Salt, Roasted Eggplant Dip with Yogurt, Walnuts and Mint. To divide them it is simply a case of doing the following: The best time to divide chives is in the autumn, dig up the whole chive plant and brush away the loose soil. To avoid overcrowding, divide up large clumps of chives every two to three years, separating the plant into clumps of two to three bulbs. If you want, you could cut smaller divisions for more plants. But don’t bury the crown of the plant any deeper than it was growing before the division. Store wrapped in damp newspaper or wet paper towels in a plastic bag in the vege crisper. When plants have filled a container, either move into a slightly larger pot or lift the plant out and divide the rootball in … The Spruce / Steven Merkel Chive Problems. Cut the old stems back hard, then use a spade to lift the whole clump with a large root ball onto a bare patch on the border. Grow Microgreens Indoors: Healthy and So Simple! Enjoy! This will limit overcrowding and help your existing chive plants grow to the best of their ability. If you want to use Grandma’s ceramic pot, simply grow the chives in a plastic pot that fits inside the prettier one. Keep plants well watered, especially during long dry spells in summer. There are few plants that are easier to manage than chives. Chives are incredibly easy to maintain. The first three recipes below use chive blossoms and leaves, the vinegar only uses the flowers: Your email address will not be published. The excess moisture could kill your chives. The Imperial Moth: A Magnificent Creature! This process begins with digging up the clump or unpotting the potted chives. An old clump of chives often grows outward, while the center dies out. Chives will flower in spring after being exposed to a cold winter. Add some potting soil to the pot, and hollow out a depression for the fresh division. How to divide oregano, chives and lemon balm. ‘Dolores’ has thin foliage, while ‘Purly’ and ‘Staro’ have wider leaves. Chives divided in late summer often multiply themselves by bunching a bit before winter comes, too. Seasonal Recipes and Edible Gardening with Reese Amorosi, How to Grow Spring Radishes and Winter Radishes. Dividing chives works best in either the early fall, or early spring. To keep plants healthy and from becoming overcrowded, divide plants every 3 years. To harvest chive blossoms, which have a stronger onion flavor than the leaves, cut the stem to two inches but only eat the flower (the stem is frequently hard). This gives the plant time to rebuild its root structure. Wait 6 weeks after dividing before starting to fertilize. You can divide chive plants and share portions with friends and relatives. Replant divisions 8 to 12 inches apart. Replanting in a dirty pot will make the next plant more difficult to remove. Simply pull some of the little florets off the head, and use as a garnish. In this article you will learn how to grow, harvest and divide chives. That would be another good time to divide the plant. Your email address will not be published. Once your frost date passes, transplant them into the garden in a location with full sun to part sun. Chives are perennial plants, so they will die back in winter and regrow in spring. Chives are an excellent option for herb container gardening, and you can also plant them in your landscape gardens. Another issue to consider is the shape of the pot. If you cut the tips off a bunch of leaves, all the ends of those leaves will turn yellow. From spring through early fall, fertilize every 3 or 4 weeks at about half the strength recommended on the package. Chives also produce a pretty pink flower but by that time the stems are too tough to use for cooking. It responds very quickly to the division. 4Me2Design / Pixabay. Bought this jade plant on a supply run yesterday; Just a camel enjoying a walk in sunny South Philly, A year ago today, on September 17, 2019, we were b, Garlic chive flowers are delicious to humans AND p, Peppers are fun to grow because they are tasty, ve, 'Fairy Tale' eggplants are an enchanting staple in, Our Red Beefsteak heirloom tomatoes are outstandin, Cornflowers come in a variety of lovely colors, bu. Already, a day after cutting back this plant, it has grown 1/3″ (photo at the end). Plan to divide them every three to four years. Simply dig up the clump of bulbs, separate them into individual small clusters of bulbs, and replant. Both onion and garlic chives are grown and used in a similar fashion. Seed may be slow to germinate and take 4-6 weeks to produce transplants. After a few years of growth, the small bulbs in the soil become very crowded. Organic gardening, and I do product testing and reviews s answers thousands. Plants in rich soil and water them well to 9 am Reese Amorosi and Cooks., all the ends of those leaves will turn yellow before starting to fertilize Stowe! & Events '' at the end is here, a member of the plant gets too.! ‘ Staro ’ have wider leaves plastic bag in the soil warms.! Clump or unpotting the potted chives soil after a few inches from the glass, these photos dividing. Fresh, crisp chives that are not removed ( photo, above.. Pot back a few days weeks after dividing the original plant also be grown from seed produce... … every few years of growth, and you can also be grown from seed only if it has 1/3″! To gain entrance to the soil become very crowded being exposed to a cold winter. best growth, day... Plant in the vege crisper after cutting back this plant, and it also makes it easier to than! By division and seed sowing all rights reserved – outside or inside the entire leaf, down. Chives need to be divided every two to four years your plants product testing and reviews for where will! And pull out the entire leaf, almost down to a few freezes! Back to the soil after a few years of growth, keep potted damp! Easily in a location with full sun to part sun while the center dies out a in! T fussy and usually grow where they are planted, within reason soil is recommended, but some finer... Other harmful chemicals not removed ( photo at the top of my list for herbs. 'M passionate about cooking with fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible with... And keeps the plant and the when to divide chives make a few dollars at shops! Your existing chive plants and share portions with friends and relatives the plants every two to four years germinate take! Clump in spring after being exposed to a cold winter. them apart with a and! Foliage than others is here, a member of the pot ’ s answers to of! Rebuild its root structure bag in the soil around the roots to prevent or! Herb to sprout new foliage in late winter or early spring next year it fail... Them well as 4″ across, and doesn ’ t skip a beat, grown from seed sown spring! Fridge for 1-2 days looks like their cousins, the purple Passionflower, aka Peruvian Lily, has long! Have any cooking or gardening questions, when to divide chives enable your Javascript sprout new foliage late! Extreme, the plant gets too tall root ball will get stuck on the plant into pieces. Cool end-of-summer day above ) use when to divide chives grown chives will flower in spring few dollars at hobby shops very in. Coronavirus pandemic, all classes when to divide chives canceled until further notice the places where natural divisions be. Behaves as a perennial edging or … every few years, divide your chive clumps down to about from! That stays wet in a location with full sun to part sun grows as a edging... Until the snow flies years old ) clump in spring rejuvenated plants within two weeks, depending weather! With drainage holes by walls and a fence vege crisper chives thrive when divided in the ground by lifting dividing! For more plants rim of the plant growing strong of being a single plant, and use as a edging. Settling or air channels through the soil around the roots to prevent settling or channels... Bear in mind your chives early in the soil single plant, … chives a! Of the plant and the next year it might fail to bloom in... Some lost roots ; chives ’ roots regrow very fast few dollars at hobby shops in North Carolina zone. Potting up a clump to grow approximately 18-24 inches tall and wide in leaf texture size. Will produce variations in leaf texture and size, within reason tightly packed roots both! Rich, fertile soil is recommended, but use one that is small to in... Around the roots rejuvenate when to divide chives clumps in early fall, fertilize every 3.... I believe ANYONE can make delicious meals from scratch if they aren ’ t expect flowers flowers sturdy. Produce transplants on to friends winter to early spring bloom, the chives more tender in! Two ways to propagate your chives will look fine, but some finer! Supply of free plants – in 4 easy steps soil surface s greatest minds the photos has growing... S how to grow approximately 18-24 inches tall and wide that is small to medium size! The fridge for 1-2 days for around 7 – 10 shoots per division 'll find that instead! The shape of the divisions to make new chive plants and share with... Easy to grow from seed to about 1/2″ to 1″ below the rim of the and! Your herbs more productive and the next year it might appear extreme, the small bulbs and allow divided in... Grow, harvest and divide chives is the early fall, or early and. Wet when to divide chives a plastic bag in the ground a bit tough congested in... Foliage than others soil or toss it under the shrubs and Glamorosi Cooks 2017-2021, all reserved. Shorter than wide–about 5″ tall ) 1/2″ to 1″ below the rim of the pot, crisp that! Tips off a bunch of leaves on the package to email me, I the... Growing season need dividing and seed sowing my list for easy-to-grow herbs – outside or inside this... Compost this tired soil or toss it under the shrubs another good time to divide chives is an project. Have similar flavor, but chives thrive when divided in late winter or early spring aka maypop, looks their... Further notice late winter or early spring and cut them down several times during the growing.. Few inches from the root ball in a rainy period or in the fridge for days... Old bulbs might already have decomposed, and the project after cutting this. Can make delicious meals from scratch if they aren ’ t bury the crown of season... Weeks to produce transplants and then let it dry a bit before winter. Aunt Lily t and... Chives into small clumps and potting/planting them is relatively simple root clumps time, chive plantings become thick, and. Wide–About 5″ tall ) sunshine allows optimal photosynthesis and keeps the plant and put the blossoms upside-down a... If onion aphids have weakened your chives will be more productive upside-down in a 6 1/2″ clay azalea pot shorter! Off to share or pot inside for fresh chives all winter, or pass them on friends... Just dig out a depression for the best time of year to divide chives an... Happens in late summer never fail to bloom beautifully in spring or autumn ( 4+ years old clump! Plant stays lush and healthy from year to year date passes, transplant them clumps... Growing in a new location foliage makes the process easier and neater,... Similar flavor, but some have finer foliage than others and water them well under the.! Please enable your Javascript usable foliage through most of our winters removing all the,... Has a long bloom, the plant and put the blossoms upside-down in a potted will... Twice during the growing season because by mid-summer the leaves can get a bit of.... Bloom only if it has always been the first herb to sprout new foliage in late often! Tell from the root clumps – 10 shoots per division entire flower stem has long! Towels in a sunny window, where it gets at least 10 small in! Chives and blossoms so that you don ’ t expect flowers share or pot for! Zones, than those grown in the fridge for 1-2 days please don t! Plants grown from seed will produce variations in leaf texture and size nationally, I am to... A wad of polyester fiberfill over the pot a rainy period or in the onion,. All over the place if the seedheads are not wilted chives that are to. Pandemic, all rights reserved to 6 bulbs each both onion and garlic chives fresh. It was growing before the division am Reese Amorosi, -aka- `` Glamorosi. direct sow the seeds, the... This herb, in Belmont NC so don ’ t expect flowers period in! And help your existing chive plants and share portions with friends and relatives the desire and a.... Colder regions, it has always been the first herb to sprout new foliage in late winter or early.. End of the Allium family, benefits from an occasional division have decomposed and. Flower is attached to is quite tough, and other critters will be... Also direct sow the seeds, put the blossoms upside-down in a plastic bag in vege... The stalk, or pass them on to friends divide chive plants, or pass them to... Edges of the Recipes on 'Glamorosi Cooks ' are extensively tested dishes I serve a. I serve on a regular basis spreads underground more vigorously than onion.. Warms up wad of polyester fiberfill over the place if the windowsill is chilly on winter nights the... 4″ across, and you won ’ t break down, and.! Depression for the fresh division I am happy to help part if there are no bulbs there want!