The foliage has a mild onion flavor that can flavor a wide variety of food! The onion-like leaves are hollow and grow back quickly after being cut for a tasty garnish.
Cultivating: For Starting Indoors: Sow seeds 8-10 weeks before the last frost date. Seeds need darkness to germinate so plant them 1/4" deep. Cover the plants with a piece of cardboard or newspaper until sprouting occurs. Transplant seedlings when 4-6" tall. For Direct Sowing: Direct sowing is recommended for chives. Sow 1/4" deep every 6" after the danger of frost has passed. Sow 4-6 seeds per hole, Harvesting: Wait until the chives are at least 6" tall before harvesting. Harvest fresh leaves continuously from early spring until fall. Cut the outer leaves first or the entire plant leaving about 2" of the leaves above the soil for regrowth. Stop harvesting 3 weeks before the first frost date. Chopped leaves can be frozen or dried. Seed Saving: Allow the flowers to mature and develop seed heads. When the seed heads turn brown, remove them before they open and drop their seed. Spread them out to dry in a protected location away from direct sunlight. Rub the dried heads to separate the seeds from the pods. Store common chives seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 2 years. Notes:
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CategoriesFDL Seed Library
The FDL Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that you can borrow to plant and grow at home. By saving seeds as a community we help create local seed stocks that are better acclimated to our climate and which support an abundant and genetically diverse landscape.
We ask that seeds are “returned” by harvesting seeds from a plant or two that you grow. Donated seeds will help to add diversity to our collection. Archives
March 2022
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