I'm a California-based writer and editor. Gardener, Meet Chives. A wonderful addition to an herb garden. Common Chives (onion) Garlic Chives; The main difference between the two is the taste. How to Grow Chives: Keeping your chive plant snipped back will cut down on the dried, yellow stems from overtaking the entire clump. My favorite ways to use chives are as a topping on baked potatoes, or on top of eggs or omeletes. Chives grow best in clumps, and they can be grown in small pots for a container garden. Great for containers, and also makes a neat border. The scapes and … They take up very little space, and the whole plant can be eaten from top to bottom - the bulbs as mild onions, the leaves in salads and flavouring, the flower heads as a splash of colour to salads. Start them indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost by planting 1/4 deep in seed starting mix. Chives are usually used as a herb, and can be utilised in a wide range of recipes. Of course, most gardeners grow this herb to enjoy in the kitchen for a mild onion flavor. Chive flowers can also be used to infuse vinegar with a delicious, onion flavor. Garlic Chives have a slightly stronger, garlic flavor. Of course, the main reason to grow chives is to use them as an edible crop. Both onion and garlic chives can be grown and used in the kitchen. Enjoy the light purple blooms in the spring–they are edible, too. This article will show you how to propagate chives through division. Chives are a perennial herb found throughout the world. Chives grow from small, fleshy bulb-like roots called bulbets, and it's a rather simple matter to divide an established clump of them in the spring or fall. The chives meaning, or etymology of the word, can be traced to the Latin word “cepa,” which means onion. The flowers are edible as well and can be floated in soups. Requirements for Growing Chives in Pots. Houzz Contributor. These are a delicious addition to salads, and can be added to many other savoury dishes. The plants form neat grass-like clumps of tubular leaves that contribute an onion flavor to salads, creamy soups, potatoes, egg dishes, and others. They're also one of the best kitchen herbs, since they grow throughout the season, producing prolifically once established. The herb grows best if planted from divisions, which means finding a clump of chives and taking a small portion of that clump to plant in a separate area. Allow the base to be debris free as this will deer slugs and snails from making this their home! They grow well in the ground or any pot, even a small one, or the pockets of a strawberry jar. How to Propagate Chives. Choose a pot in your garden that attracts sunlight. How to grow chives. Growing chives is very easy to do. Regular cutting helps keep plants vigorous and healthy and encourages spreading. They grow in large, grass-like clumps and have long, thin leaves with purple onion flowers, but they don’t contain the same underground bulb as other types of onions. Also Read: How to Grow Rosemary. Remember to water while the plant is growing. In autumn remove any fallen stems and cut back quite heavily. The more leaves that are out of the top of the onion, the more inside the onion layers there are, meaning that if you see lots of leaves, you know you are growing big onions. How to Grow Chives will show you the tips and techniques on how to grow this tasty herb that will add amazing value to any kitchen. Onions grow in layers, which are essentially an extension of the leaves of the onion. There are a wide range of reasons why growing chives in your garden is a great idea. They have a slightly stronger, garlic chives from seed: After danger of frost sow... My favorite ways to use chives are a perennial herb found throughout world... 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