Chive maintenance: watering, exposure, cultivation

Description of chives

Chives, or of its scientific name "Allium Schoenoprasum", is a Perennial -type aromatic grass. This plant has a size of 20 to 40cm height and its plantation is easy since it is generally cultivated all year, even indoors.

4 good reasons to cultivate common chives:

1- its nutritional contribution

You can cultivate it directly in your kitchen to be able to harvest it when you wish and enjoy its Nutritional benefits: vitamins C and K. 

2- Its flavor

The chives will also bring freshness To your dishes: Common chives salmon tartare, Cucumber foam, fresh cheese and common chives and many others.

3- its colorful flowers

You can also cultivate chives to embellish your home thanks to its beautiful purple flowers which appear during the flowering period in the spring.

The color of its flowers can vary from purple to pink depending on the variety. Indeed, there are several varieties, the Common chives being the most cultivated In France because she is robust, has a soft flavor, and is easily found.

4- Its ease of culture

Finally, the chives only requires little maintenance. This makes it adequate both for a planting in a house as in an apartment: in a pot, in a planter in your balcony or vegetable garden.

Maintenance of the common chives

Watering

To maintain the chives well, it is important to be attentive to its water needs. To guarantee the best growth conditions of the plant, it will be necessary frisk, without too much humidity and well -drained. You will have to find a balance to water since if the chives lack water, the stems will start to yellow. On the other hand, excess water could rot the bulbs hence the importance of clay balls. 

Depending on the type of planting, the watering needs will be different. A garden land will need to be watered less while it will be necessary to better monitor the moisture from the pot in a pot. In the case of an indoor culture: jar, planter or vegetable garden, water on the surface As soon as the earth is dry. The aromatic plant will particularly need to be watered after sowing so that the seeds can raise and the plants can push. Do not leave the saucer full of water so as not to damage the plant.

Exposure

The chives need a good brightness, however it will be necessary Avoid exposing it directly to the sun at the start of the culture. So choose a location at the partial shade, on your balcony, in your garden or in your interior. Once the plant has grown sufficiently, you can then expose it to the sun.

During winter, you can overcome the chives with a glass bell or put it in mini-green So that the plant can stay warm.

Culture and size

It will be necessary sow seeds Between February and April And transplant them when the plant has grown well. Once your chives have reached a height of 15cm, it will be important to cut it.

Why cut the chives?

Cutting the stems on which flowers will have appeared will allow delay the rise in seeds. You can harvest your chives for longer. However, you can also cultivate chives for its flowers, which are also edible and for its seeds which will allow you to sow the chives again. Flowers are particularly appreciated for Season salads but also for flavor oil.

Chives size:

Cut the leaves regularly starting from the base will stimulate the plant and allow it to to regenerate. The harvest will be done all year round unless the temperatures are too cold. In this case, the harvest will be from spring to fall.

To strengthen the chives plant, it is even advisable to mow it so that the foliage can grow with more vigor. This will also allow you to store a large amount of sheets that you can then Store in the refrigerator or freezer To have fresh chives all year round. Discover all our methods and tricks to keep your chives and your aromatic herbs with our articles: "Keep your chives: Method and tricks", "How to dry rosemary?" or "How to clearly freeze your aromatic herbs?".

Discover Urban Cuisine products for simplified maintenance

So that you can cultivate your plants in all ease, Urban Cuisine offers you easy to use products that will offer your plants ideal culture conditions.

For this, our crop cliggers are made up of vegetable fibers that contain All necessary nutrients To your plants, you will therefore need to add anything to strengthen the growth. You can enjoy it inside the 100% French cork pot for example.

Discover all our tips and tips for maintaining your plants: fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs on the Urban Cuisine blog: "How to cut the chives?", "Cherry tomato: our maintenance advice" or "How to cultivate the inside pot parsley?"