Chives, also known as chives, chives, chives or leaf onion, is an aromatic herb of the Alliaceae family that blooms throughout the year. It is a very aromatic plant whose bulb has a flavor similar to that of onion or leek.

In addition to its culinary uses, chives can be your ally in weight-loss diets, as it helps absorb fat. If you want to know how to sow chives with seeds and roots, do not miss the following article in which we tell you how to grow chives it in both ways and we give you some recommendations for planting chives at home. Take note!

How to grow chives with seeds?

The seed scallion is very similar in appearance to other seeds, such as leek and onion. It is a plant that does not need much care and whose growth is fast (around 8 weeks), so you can have fresh chives to dress your dishes in a short time.

It is not necessary to have a lot of space or to have a garden to be able to plant chive seeds, a small pot that you can have in the kitchen or a small balcony will suffice. You can sow it in a pot since it is a leafy plant and grows and develops well with that depth. Of course, make sure it gets the sun.

If you decide to plant your chives seeds in a pot, these are the steps to sow chives you should follow:

• Fill the pot with soil without reaching the top so that the seeds do not drain or soil falls out when you water.
• Moisten the soil before starting to plant, being careful not to puddle. Also, apply some fertilizer and mix it with the soil.
• Take the seeds in your hand and scatter them on the ground.
• Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil or substrate, half an inch or so.
• Place your pot with chives in a place where it can get the sun.

If you want to transplant the chive seedlings once they have germinated, you will have to wait about 6 weeks before making the transfer. If, instead, you want to plant the seeds directly in your garden or orchard, read on.

How to sow chives in a garden?

Another option to enjoy chives at home is to plant it in a small vegetable patch in the garden. If you are starting with your garden, we suggest you visit our article How to make a garden at home for more tips, but if you are already an expert, just follow the steps below to plant chives:

• Prepare the soil where you are going to plant the chives. Moisten the soil and mix fertilizer with the soil.
• Make furrows in the soil at a distance of 40 cm between each row of seeds that you are going to plant.
• Prepare the holes so that there is a separation of 10 cm between one seed and the other.
• Place the seeds and cover them with a very thin layer of soil.
• Wait for the chives to germinate and keep the plants looking healthier and stronger. Add compost again.

How to sow chives with root?

Many experts recommend sowing chives from an existing plant with its own roots, as in this case, since the growth is faster than if we plant seeds.

Therefore, if you do not have seeds and want to do it even faster, you will only have to buy a bunch of chives at any supermarket to plant it at home and grow it yourself. To sow chives with root and learn how to sow chives in water, just follow these steps:

• Cut the white part of the chives (this is what you will need to plant). The green part can be used for cooking.
• Take the white part with the root and put it in a glass of water, making sure that the root is completely submerged.
• When the water is absorbed, add more (just to cover the white area where the roots are).
• After a couple of days, you will be able to see how new stems are emerging in the upper area of ​​the chives. It is time to plant the chives roots.
• Whether you are going to plant it in a garden or pot, moisten the soil and mix a little compost or fertilizer.
• Drill a hole and insert the stem of the new root. If there are several chives, do not forget to respect the distance that we mention between each hole.
• Cover with a very thin layer of compost or compost.
• Remove weeds when they appear and wait until the soil has dried before watering it again.

Chives care and harvest

When you have planted your chive plant, either with seeds or with roots, you will have to take into account the basic care of this plant so that it grows healthy, strong and with good germination. Take note of the care of chives and the advice for its correct harvest and cultivation:

• To keep it beautiful and in good germination condition, we suggest you fertilize it approximately every 3 weeks with liquid fertilizer.
• Although its flowers are very beautiful, you have to eliminate them because what is of interest is the leaves. If you remove the flowers, the leaf harvest will be higher, as chives are a highly invasive plant.
• You can use the flowers that you cut in salads, as they are also edible. The flowers usually come out between May and June.
• You should water the chives every two days, approximately, with a waterfall similar to that of light rain, without flooding. The best way to achieve this effect is to do it with a watering can.
• When you want to use chives for cooking, you just have to cut the stems you need with scissors. Don’t worry. These cut stems will grow back quickly.
• To harvest the chives, we suggest you wait until the plant has about 4 or so stems.
• Place your pots in a place where the sun shines. You may notice that the stems turn or acquire strange shapes; this is because they are directed to where the light source is.
• To keep the chive plants in your garden healthy, divide them every 2 to 3 years.

Characteristics of chives

The chive or chive, with the scientific name Allium schoenoprasum, is a plant with green leaves 60 cm long and beautiful purple flowers. Its leaves are widely used in cooking for its exquisite aromatic flavor and it is the ingredient in many recipes for soups and stews.

If you want to learn how to plant and grow chives, you won’t regret it! Chives are used not only for cooking, but they can also be ornamental plants or an effective antidote to prevent insects’ pests in your home garden.

Before we see how to sow chives at home with or without seed, we recommend taking into account certain aspects of its cultivation:

• Chives grow throughout the year, but although it is a perennial, the best time to plant it is during the months when it is not too hot. Thus, the best season to grow them in spring.
• It is a plant that prefers the sun, so no matter where you plan to plant it, make sure it has full sunlight.
• As for the associations of chives, you can plant it near the carrot, celery or lettuce plants.
• You should avoid planting it near bean or pea plants.
• If the soil you are planting in is a bit loamy, add a little sand first so the soil will give more.

In addition to knowing the characteristics of chives, it is interesting to know that its leaves are a food rich in vitamins C, K and A, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus and calcium. They are low in calories (30 kcal per 100 g) and you can use them in recipes such as:

1. Special tomato salad
2. Fine herb sauce
3. Avocado sushi