Description
Chives have a unique, spicy flavour that’s somewhere between the taste of garlic and onions in both the leaves and flowers. A relative of onions and leeks, but classified as an herb with tall, dark green, slender leaves that are hollow inside. The beautiful pale purple blooms made of tiny flower clusters are edible too.
Not only a cinch to start growing, they’re a perennial herb (zones 3 -10) —meaning they will grow in your garden for years!
Used as a garnish mostly, the promising health benefits of these alliums suggest adding them into your diet more often by:
Sprinkling them on garlic bread, dicing and cooking them with hamburger meat,sprinkling them on a baked potatoes,swirling them into homemade butter,tossing them in a fresh salad etc
Several studies have been produced which suggest that alliums, including chives, could help prevent or fight against cancer. Certain compounds found in chives, including sulfur, can deter cancerous cells from growing or spreading throughout the body. Chives are packed with Vitamin K, a critical component in bone density. contain both choline and folate. Individually, each of these components is linked to improving memory functions.
Don’t forget about the chive flowers—they’re edible and highly attractive to bumblebees, hoverflies, and other beneficial garden insects. Gently pull the clusters apart, then scatter the tiny flowers over salads and hors d’oeuvres. Or make chive blossom vinegar: Fill a bottle with just-opened chive blossoms, then fill the bottle with white vinegar. After two weeks, strain the vinegar, and use it for vinaigrettes and to finish cooked dishes.
Chives are an excellent option for herb container gardening.
Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep and keep moist until germination. If starting indoors, use bottom heat and plant 10-15 seeds per cell in a 72 cell plug tray. Transplant either into containers or into the garden once the soil has warmed up. Space clumps 15cm (6″) apart.
The whole plant can be cut down to 4cm (2″) from the ground. Use scissors and take as much as needed. Chives don’t dehydrate well, so use fresh portions regularly.
Chives are said to improve the flavour of carrots and tomatoes, and make a good companion plant for Brassicas. They help to repel aphids, carrot rust fly, and Japanese beetles. Avoid planting near beans and peas.
approx 100 seeds
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