How to Grow Chives
 - Herbs

Herbaceous perennial.
To 30cm tall and wide.
Flowers: June - August.
Full sun or semi-shade.
Grow from seed sown Mar-Jun.
Valuable bee flower, good in borders.

Herbs:   Basil  |  Bay  |  Mint  |  Oregano  |  Parsley  |  Rosemary  |  Sage  |  Thyme  |  All

Chives are so easy to grow from seed it's almost a wonder they don't germinate in the packet. If you let a plant establish itself, you can divide it annually for ages, give them away and be everybody's mate. Throw away the old centre of the plant and replant the outsides, giving away or swapping spare bits with friends and neighbors.

The pretty pink/purple flowers are enough to earn it a place in the garden border even if it wasn't a herb.

Grab a bunch of leaves near to the base and cut with scissors, then snip small sections of about 5-10mm off with the scissors to add the subtle oniony flavour as a garnish, in salads, with cottage cheese, over eggs, potatoes, soup or 101 other uses where their cheery greenness will be appreciated. The flowers are edible too and can be added to dishes though the stem the flower is on tends to be tougher than the leaves so when you've picked a bunch, slide the flowers and stems out for separate treatment.

Chives seeds and plants to buy

Chives 'Staro' - Organic Seeds £ 2.29	Chives (Chinese) - Seeds £ 2.99	Chives - Seeds £ 0.89
Microgreens Chives 'Garlic' - Seeds £ 3.49