Chives

Identification and origin

Chives belong to the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, along with onion, leek and garlic. The natural range is huge: much of Europe from the Iberian Peninsula to Scandinavia and Russia, the Caucasus, Iran and the western Himalaya, Siberia, Mongolia, Korea and Japan, as well as Alaska, Canada and the northern United States. The scientific name comes from the Greek schoinos, rush, and prason, leek: a “rush-leek.”

It is a bulbous perennial forming dense clumps of small bulbs about 0 in across. Each one produces cylindrical, hollow, blue-green leaves 8–20 in long depending on conditions. The clump usually stands 10–18 in tall. In cold climates the foliage dies back in winter and returns in spring; in mild climates it can stay green.

From mid-spring to early summer, hollow stems carry balls of 10 to 30 small, star-shaped flowers with six tepals, pink to pale purple, at first wrapped in a papery bract that splits as they open. Rich in nectar, they draw honeybees and bumblebees, and they are edible in salads. They then form small capsules full of black seeds, and the plant self-sows readily.

Several selections exist: ‘Forescate’, larger, with brighter pink flowers; the white-flowered form albiflorum; ‘Grolau’, bred for indoor growing, with thick dark leaves; and ‘Profusion’, whose sterile flowers last longer. Garlic chives, with flat leaves and a garlic flavor, are a different species, Allium tuberosum.

Light

Chives do best in full sun, with six to eight hours of direct light a day, and tolerate light shade at the cost of fewer flowers. Indoors they are among the least demanding herbs: two to six hours of direct sun near a well-lit window is enough. Turn the pot often for even growth. In winter, when light is poor, they grow little and can even die back slightly before recovering in spring.

Watering

Once established in the ground, chives tolerate drought well, but they give their most tender leaves with steady moisture. Water deeply during dry spells and mulch around the clump with compost or shredded leaves to keep the soil cool and moist.

In a pot the mix dries out much faster: check it often during the growing season and water as soon as the surface starts to dry, always letting excess water drain away. Soil that stays soggy rots the roots. Indoors, dry heated air parches the leaves; grouping pots together or setting them on a tray of moist pebbles helps.

Potting mix

Chives adapt to most soils, whether clay, loam or sand, but prefer ground rich in organic matter and well drained. In a pot, use a soil-based mix or a good, light houseplant potting mix, in a container with drainage holes at least 8 in wide and deep.

Their fertilizer needs are low, and overfeeding harms both flavor and health. In the garden, rich soil is enough; if a clump weakens after years of harvesting, a light feeding in spring revives it. In containers and indoors, give a liquid fertilizer at half strength every four to six weeks.

Temperature

Very hardy, chives are grown in USDA zones 4a to 8b and withstand winters around -4–5 °F in the ground; a light frost does them no harm.

Indoors they are comfortable at 64–70 °F by day and 55–61 °F at night. For a winter supply, pot up a clump from the garden and set it on a sunny windowsill. Clumps dug after the first frosts do better than those brought in too early, which tend to grow leggy.

Repotting

In containers, repot in early spring, when roots grow out of the drainage hole, into a slightly larger pot. In the garden and in pots alike, an overcrowded clump loses vigor: divide it every two to four years.

Pruning

Harvesting takes the place of pruning. Start when the leaves are about 6 in long, snipping with scissors 1–2 in above the soil, ideally in the morning. Take a few leaves from each clump rather than shearing it all: a clump cut to the ground needs several weeks to regrow. The more you harvest, the more young, tender leaves the plant makes.

After flowering, cut the flower stalks at soil level to prevent self-sowing and keep the plant productive, or cut the whole clump back to about 2–3 in for a fresh flush of leaves. Use the leaves raw, since cooking destroys their flavor. Chopped, they freeze well without blanching; dried, they lose much of their taste.

Propagation

Division is the simplest and most reliable method. In spring or fall, lift the clump and pull it apart into sections of at least four to six bulbs, then replant right away, at least 6 in apart in containers or 12–20 in apart in the garden, at the same depth, and water well.

Seed works but is slow. In early spring, sow indoors 0–0 in deep in small pots of moist seed-starting mix, in a warm, bright spot. Allow four to six weeks to produce transplants. When they reach about 4 in, harden them off gradually before planting out. Seed-grown plants can vary in leaf fineness and size.

Common problems

• Aphids: they weaken the plant; cut off and discard infested leaves.
• Leek rust: raised, bright orange pustules on the leaves.
• Root rot: poorly drained soil or a pot left standing in water.
• Thin, spindly growth with small, weakly scented leaves indoors: not enough light, or a clump brought inside too early.
• Fungus gnats: watering too often; let the surface dry and use yellow sticky traps.
• Tough leaves: old leaves or harvests spaced too far apart; cut more often.

A single symptom can have several causes: consider light, watering, fertilizer and root health together.

Toxicity

Edible for people, chives are toxic to dogs, cats and horses. They contain n-propyl disulfide, which destroys red blood cells. Eating them can cause vomiting, anemia, blood in the urine, weakness, a fast heart rate and panting. Do not let pets nibble the clump or kitchen scraps, and call a veterinarian if they eat any.