Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Chives are hardy perennial herbs grown from seed, transplant, or division, returning each year from clumping crowns. Thin hollow leaves regrow after cutting, and pink flower heads appear on established plants unless stems are snipped to keep foliage tender. First useful cutting from seed often arrives around 80–90 days from sowing.
Plant family Amaryllidaceae · Also called common chives
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Start seed, sets, or divisions in cool soil.
Sow about 0.6 cm deep outdoors from four weeks before the last frost through two weeks after, or start indoors 8–10 weeks before frost. Germination takes 7–14 days.
Hardy clumps return yearly. The key tip recommends dividing established clumps every few years to maintain vigor.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Grow clumps for repeated snipping.
Space 15–20 cm apart with rows near 30 cm. Clumping habit stays upright and fits bed edges.
Containers need 20 cm depth and about 5 litres. Pots overwinter in many climates because frost tolerance is hardy.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Divide when pots or rows overcrowd.
Six hours of direct sun is the minimum. Chives tolerate part shade but produce fewer leaves.
Moderate water at 25–35 mm weekly with pH 6.0–7.0. Even moisture keeps leaves mild; drought concentrates onion flavor.
Sunlight
Full sun (6+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
Moderate water need.
Aim for even moisture and water deeply when the upper 2-3 cm of soil begins to dry.
Harvest leaves without stripping the crown.
First useful cutting often comes 80–90 days from sowing, though divisions produce sooner. Snip leaves an inch above the crown for regrowth.
Perennial plants compound yield year after year once established, unlike annual herbs in the same bed.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Divide established clumps every few years to maintain vigorous growth.
Chives growing questions
How are chives propagated besides seed?
Planting material includes transplant or division; division renews old clumps.
Should chive flowers be removed?
Flowers are edible but removing stems can direct energy to leaves; not required by the dataset.
Are chives frost hardy?
Yes. Hardy tolerance supports early outdoor sowing in the listed frost window.
When is the first seed-grown harvest expected?
80–90 days from sowing per harvest basis sowing.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S3,S4,S5. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
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