Why You Should Grow Perennial Chives
In early spring when the ground is just thawing, chives are one of the first plants to emerge from the ground. They are also one of the first spring time flowers for bees. Chives are a hardy and easy to grow perennial in zone 3-10.
Chives are a member of the allium family grown for their attractive, edible scapes (stems) and blossoms. They offer a delicate onion flavour that you can use in all of your favourite recipes. We've usually run out of onions by spring so we truly welcome their arrival.
How To Grow
Chives prefer full sun and moist, well drained soil. The plants reach about 12 inches tall and have light purple flower blossoms in the spring. They grow well in the ground and in containers.
You can start onion chives from seed or if you have access to a plant, you can dig up a clump in early spring, separate into bulbs and plant where you want.
If you leave the flowers on, the plant will re-seed and spread. If you don't want it to spread be sure to prune well before the flowers die. There are many great culinary uses for the flowers so be sure not to let them go to waste!
Good Companion for:
Chives are said to improve the flavour of carrots and tomatoes. They are a good companion for all brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts etc) eggplant, kohlrabi, mustard, peppers, potatoes, rhubarb, roses, squash, strawberries, grapes & tomatoes They help to repel aphids, carrot rust fly, and Japanese beetles.
Do not plant near:
Don't plant near legumes including: beans & peas, alfalfa, asparagus & spinach
Harvesting
Simply take shears or scissors and chop off near the base.
Culinary Uses
I recommend trying fried chive blossoms and pickled blossoms, they are both quite nice. To pickle blossoms, simply pack a jar with blossoms, cover with vinegar and let steep for a week or so. Once you have used all the blossoms you'll be left with a nice onion flavoured vinegar.
Other uses
- Egg recipes
- Potato dishes
- Pasta dishes
- Yoghurt cheese
- Potato salad
- savoury breads and biscuits
- soups
- Salads
- Vinegar
- Vinaigrette Dressings
- Garnishes
Cut Flowers
Onions chive blossoms make a beautiful cut flower. They don't smell "onion-y" at all.
Resources: West Coast Seeds | Our Herb Garden
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
Homesteading | Gardening | Frugal Living | Preserving Food| From Scratch Cooking|
You can also find me at: walkerland.ca
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I love the gorgeous photography that always accompanies your posts :) Thanks for the tip on chives being a great early flower for bees!
Thank you so much. I love photography. I spend a lot of time trying to capture the feeling of what I see. Bees love chive blossoms, I wish I had a picture of them partying on the flowers. I will try for one this year :)
Thanks so much for all the tips! I'm growing chives for the first time this year. We go through so many I don't know why I've been paying $5 a jar for them!!! I must be crazy!
Gosh, once you get started you can start selling your own you'll have so many :) Gland you found the info useful :)
Spring memories...
These little beauties were welcolmed every year...the family would be about sick of goat cheese, chives and other wild spring greens would bring it back into flavored favor!
They make great spring gifts if you need to thin them... I've gifted away and now received some of my own back to begin again here in the Ozarks!
I am dreaming of spring. Cabin fever is starting to make me twitch!
I would gladly gift some of mine. I let them reseed happily because I have a goal of creating perennial food all around us. I get tired of eating preserved food around this time and really go nuts for fresh! One day I'll get a system going so we can grow some nice greens in the winter.
You live in such beautiful country! I've never been but I love looking at photos and the Ozarks is spectacular.
Chives are a must for us and have them planted throughout our homestead.
Sour cream and chives on baked potato Umm.
sigh ... I can't wait for spring :)
I’ve always grown them in a container, and didn’t realize they were perennial. Thanks for the post! I learn so much about homesteading and gardening on Steemit! I think my garden will be 100% better this year with all the things I’ve learned!
I agree, I've picked up some amazing tips. My to do list is out of control and I can't wait to get dirty!!!
🍻 Here's to gettin' dirty!
I had no idea they were so beautiful on the garden! Thank you- we’re putting beds in just this week:)
oh how wonderful! I am a bit envious of everyone who is starting to dig in the dirt. We've got weeks of winter to get through still. They really are very pretty.