Cheeky Chives in Your Kitchen Garden?
CHIVES - Allium schoenoprasum
Chives is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, more commonly known as the Allium or Onion family. It’s a perennial that has light purple, edible flowers in the spring (Garlic Chives has white flowers). Chives easily can be propagated by division. Their mild onion flavor is used to enhance a variety of egg, cheese, meat and vegetable dishes, and is often associated with French and Chinese cuisines. And it’s perfect atop that simple baked potato - especially when paired with sour cream!
Chives is a great choice for raised bed and container gardens. Try choosing a corner or other space where they won’t be disturbed. Chives is usually planted in the spring, but can be divided and replanted at almost any time. Choose a location that has at least 6 hours of direct sunlight with a soil pH between 6 and 7.5. And be sure the soil drains well, as Chives prefer well-draining, loamy or sandy conditions.
TIME TO EAT
Chives are super easy to plant and harvest. You actually can get about 9 Chive plants in approximately one square foot of garden space. That’s a lot of Chives - so you’ll need to continuously harvest to keep your plants productive and healthy.
All you need to start harvesting is a pair of super sharp snips. You’ll want to continuously clip the leaves not only for use in the kitchen, but to keep your Chives from flowering. The leaves of the plants that are allowed to flower become tough and mostly unusable. Also plants that are allowed to flower will reseed, and the seedlings will not be as good quality-wise as your original Chive plant. If you want to over-winter your Chives just scoop them up into a pretty pot with some good soil and place them in a sunny spot indoors. You’ll be able to harvest all winter long and replant in the garden the following spring.
And if you’re wondering what to do with all those Chives, try this simple recipe for Herb Butter: 1 stick unsalted butter; 1/4 cup chopped Chives; 1/2 clove garlic (finely minced); 1 tsp sea salt; and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Combine all ingredients. Adjust seasonings as needed. On parchment paper, shape into a cylinder and seal the ends. Chill until firm. Adapted from Local Dirt, by Andrea Bemis.
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW
Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum) have long flat leaves as compared to the rounded hollow leaves of Chives. Garlic Chives spread by rhizomes - a continuously growing horizontal underground stem - and by self-seeding. In late summer, they flower white instead of light purple.
Garlic Chives can withstand the heat of summer better than Chives and won’t die back. Garlic Chives are considered semi-permanent, and can stay in your garden for several years.
Both Chives and Garlic Chives can be used as interrupters in your garden - they are great to put in between other plants as their smell can help deter those pests that might be seeking a lunchtime buffet!
I hope this gets you thinking about planting an herb garden. Here on the blog each week we’ll take a look at a different herb, and before you know it you’ll be ready to take on your own garden! If you’d like some help with design and planning, click the button below to reach out.