Chive maintenance: watering, exposure, cultivation

Description of chives

Chives, or by its scientific name "allium schoenoprasum", is a perennial aromatic herb . This plant has a size of 20 to 40cm in height and its planting is easy since it is generally grown all year round , even indoors.

4 good reasons to grow Common Chives:

1- Its nutritional intake

You can grow it directly in your kitchen so you can harvest it whenever you want and enjoy its nutritional benefits: vitamins C and K.

2- Its flavor

Chives will also bring freshness to your dishes: Salmon tartare with common chives , cucumber mousse, fresh cheese and common chives and many more.

3- Its colorful flowers

You can also grow chives to beautify your home with its beautiful purple flowers that appear during the blooming period in 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 it is robust , has a sweet flavor, and is easily found.

4- Its ease of cultivation

Finally, chives require very little maintenance . This makes it suitable for both house and apartment planting: in pots, in a planter on your balcony or in a vegetable patch.

Caring for Common Chives

Watering

To properly maintain chives, it is important to be attentive to its water needs. To guarantee the best growing conditions for the plant, you will need a fresh soil , without too much humidity and well drained . It will be necessary to find a balance to water since if the chives lack water, the stems will begin to yellow. On the other hand, excess water could cause the bulbs to rot hence the importance of clay pebbles .

Depending on the type of plantation , the watering needs will be different. A garden soil will need less watering while it will be better to monitor the humidity of the potted soil. In the case of indoor cultivation: pot , planter or vegetable patch, water the surface as soon as the soil is dry . The aromatic plant will especially need to be watered after sowing so that the seeds can germinate and the seedlings can grow. Do not leave the saucer full of water to avoid damaging the plant.

Exposure

Chives need good light , however it will be necessary to avoid exposing it to direct sunlight at the start of cultivation . So choose a location in partial shade , on your balcony, in your garden or in your home. Once the plant has grown enough, you can then expose it to the sun.

During the winter, you can top the chives with a glass cloche or put it in a mini greenhouse so the plant can stay warm.

Cultivation and pruning

It will be necessary to sow the 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 prune it.

Why prune chives?

Cutting the stems on which flowers have appeared will delay seed set . This will allow you to harvest your chive leaves for a longer time. However, you can also grow chives for its flowers, which are also edible, and for its seeds, which will allow you to sow chives again. The flowers are particularly appreciated for seasoning salads but also for flavoring oil .

Size of chives:

Trimming the leaves regularly starting from the base will stimulate the plant and allow it to regenerate . Harvesting will take place all year round unless the temperatures are too cold. In this case, the harvest will be from spring to autumn.

To strengthen the chive plant, it is even advisable to mow it so that the foliage can grow back with more vigor. It will also allow you to store a large quantity of leaves which you can then store in the refrigerator or freezer to have fresh chives all year round. Discover all our methods and tips for storing your chives and aromatic herbs with our articles: " Store your chives: method and tips ", " How to dry rosemary? " or " How to freeze your aromatic herbs properly? ".

Discover URBAN CUISINE products for simplified maintenance

So that you can grow your plants with ease, URBAN CUISINE offers easy-to-use products that will provide your plants with ideal growing conditions.

For this, our Cultivation Clods are composed of vegetable fibers which contain all the nutrients necessary for your plants, so you will not need to add anything to strengthen the growth. You can enjoy it inside the Pot en Liège 100% French for example.

Discover all our advice and tips for caring for your plants: fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs on the URBAN CUISINE blog: " How to cut chives? ", " Cherry tomato: our maintenance tips " or " How to grow chives? " indoor potted parsley?