How to Grow Chives From Seed

Chives are a hardy perennial, so plant them once and they come back every spring for years. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, or direct-sow outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked and has warmed to about 60F. You can also sow in early fall in mild climates. Because chives grow slowly from seed, an indoor head start gives you usable clumps much sooner in the first season.

Sow chive seeds about a quarter inch deep in rich, well-drained soil, in the garden, a raised bed, or a deep pot. Chives are slow and a little uneven to germinate, usually taking 10 to 15 days at a soil temperature around 60 to 70F, so keep the surface consistently moist and be patient. Sow seeds in small pinches, since chives naturally grow in clumps, then thin or transplant to about 4 to 6 inches apart. They do best in full sun but tolerate light shade.

Chives are one of the easiest herbs to keep going. Water regularly so the soil stays evenly moist, especially in the first season while the clumps establish, and give a light feed of compost or balanced fertilizer in spring for lush green growth. They rarely have pest trouble, and their oniony scent even helps deter aphids from nearby plants. Every few years, lift and divide crowded clumps in spring or fall to keep them vigorous. Let a few of the pretty lavender flowers bloom for pollinators, then shear the plant back to encourage a fresh flush of tender leaves. Chives shrug off cold better than almost any herb: hardy to about zone 3, established clumps in the Midwest and Northeast die back in winter and pop up on their own each spring, while in mild-winter areas like the South and coastal California they can stay green and croppable nearly year-round.

Chives are famous as a good-neighbor herb, and their oniony scent helps confuse and repel common garden pests like aphids and carrot flies. These four make especially good companions, and you can add any of them in one click:

Begin snipping once the leaves are about 6 inches tall, usually a couple of months after sowing. Use scissors to cut the hollow leaves down to about 2 inches above the soil, taking the outer leaves first, and the plant will quickly push out new growth. Harvest little and often through the whole season. The lavender flowers are edible too, so pull apart the florets to scatter over salads. Chives are best used fresh, but they also freeze well.

Chives bring a mild, fresh onion flavor without the bite of a bulb onion. Snip them raw over baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, omelets, soups, and creamy dips, or stir them into soft cheese and butter. Add them near the end of cooking, since heat quickly dulls their delicate flavor. The purple pom-pom flowers are edible as well and make a beautiful, oniony garnish for salads and platters.

• Slow, patchy germination: this is normal for chives. Keep the soil warm and constantly moist, sow in small pinches, and give the seeds up to two weeks.
• Crowded, floppy clumps: over a few years chives get congested. Lift and divide them in spring or fall to restore vigor.
• Flowers taking over: let a few bloom for pollinators, then shear the plant back to force tender new leaves and stop heavy self-seeding.
• Yellowing tips: usually dry soil or a hungry plant. Water evenly and give a light spring feed.