Chives are an essential flavor in the kitchen. Its fragrant taste will match perfectly with your dishes. The best way to have it available is to cultivate it yourself. Not taking up much space, it is easy to grow in a kitchen garden or even in an apartment and adapts to different climates. Some people prefer to sow chives themselves, but you can also grow them from existing plants.

The necessary equipment

To sow and cultivate chives, nothing is easier. If you have a vegetable garden, you will need a hoe and a rake. For the culture in apartment, on a window edge, pots and a little earth will suffice.

Which varieties to favor?

The most common species of chives is theAllium schoenoprasum. You can also sow chives Allium schoenoprasum 'Staro' who is more vigorous. On the walks and paths, you can meet wild chives. It can also be grown and has a more pronounced aroma but is less vigorous than that of vegetable gardens. It looks very similar to the classic chives. You will recognize the chive to smell between garlic and shallot when you rub it between your fingers.

When to plant chives?

Seedlings of chives require mild temperatures. You can do them in a nursery or in place from the beginning of spring, around February-March, and until the end of June. 7 to 8 weeks after emergence, you can transplant the plants. The date varies according to that of the sowing, and the harvest is done in autumn. To eat early in the spring, you can plant chives on September-October.

How to sow chives?

The most common technique is to divide his plants. This is usually easier to do and faster than sowing your own chives. If you want to plant early in the year, you should do it indoors, in a greenhouse, or on the edge of a window that is bright enough. Between April and June, you can sow directly in place.

Sow chives indoors

  • Take a pot and sow about ten seeds to grow a small tuft.
  • Wait about two months to divide and replant them in your garden.

Sow on site online

  • Trace very shallow furrows, 1 to 2 cm, with your burrow. A furrow is enough for family consumption. Otherwise, space the lines 15 to 20 cm apart.
  • Sow the chives in the nursery with 10-15 cm of space between each seed.
  • Tamp.
  • Sprinkle lightly, in a fine drop with a watering can.

Sow on the spot in the nursery

  • Draw a groove.
  • Sow several seeds to form several seedlings.
  • Divide seedlings when they are a few inches tall. For this you can use a spade. Place it in the center of the seedling and cut it in half.
  • Plant seedlings in different areas of the garden or in line with about 20 cm of space between each plant.

Plant chives

If you prefer to plant rather than sow the chives, just divide an already existing plant with a spade. Keep about 4-5 feet per tuft and transplant them leaving 10-15 cm of space between each seedling. Put each new plant in a hole and cover it.

Harvest of chives

Chives are eaten fresh from the leaves. You just have to cut it at the base. If you want to keep it longer, you can chop it and keep it in the freezer for several months in a glass jar. Drying it is not very advisable because it makes him lose his aroma.

Our tips for a successful shoot

Chives are easy to sow and grow, but to better grow your crop, follow our recommendations.

First, use soft, cool, sun-exposed soil. You can enrich the compost soil in the fall before sowing. In summer, choose a shady place to have your plants.

Reap regularly as you need. The ideal frequency is once a month as it stimulates production. In the absence of harvest, you can cut the stems two to three times a year, at one third of the stem.

You can regenerate your plants dividing them every three years, in the fall or spring, and by changing their location. Slice your plants in the middle with a spade to obtain two new seedlings. This also applies to indoor cultivation, on a balcony or terrace.

Maintenance of chives

Chives are not a very demanding plant. Once you have planted or planted, water it from time to time when the soil is dry because it does not like the excess moisture.

To grow chives in apartment: how to do?

Cultivation Pot Chives

In what conditions ?

Chives grows very easily. Just place your pots anywhere in your home, near a light source with some shade. Do not hesitate to equip yourself with a lamp of growth. They are very effective for indoor growing.

Sow or plant?

You can sow your chives but it will take longer. The most practical is to divide an existing plant and divide the clumps into several pots.

What kind of pot to use?

You can plant or sow chives in any type of container. Terracotta pots just like those made of plastic are very suitable. A plant tube will bring a decorative touch to your interior and will prove very practical.

What potting mix to use?

You can choose a universal potting soil or a special potting soil for growing herbs.

And the interview?

Water your chives when the soil is dry, every two, three days in winter and every day in summer.

It is advisable to repot – change your pot plants – every year. This also allows you to check the health of your plants. The roots should be white, otherwise it means that your plants need more space. You will have to put them in a larger pot or cut the roots by about 5 cm.

Even more plantations:

favicon

Write A Comment

Pin It