Chives are one of the best herbs to plant in your garden. They tick all the boxes: they’re easy to take care of, beautiful, and extremely tough. The lavender ball-shaped flowers not only add a bright burst of color to any meal, but they (along with the hollow leaves) provide a subtle onion flavor that truly enhances any dish. Learning how to grow chives can be a wonderful gateway into regular gardening, but they’re also one of those plants that expert gardeners frequently favor, too.
Whether you’re planting them in the ground or in a pot, chives can happily grow basically anywhere. Common garden invaders like deer or rabbits don’t typically touch them, so they’ll keep your flower beds vibrant even after your other plants have been snacked on.
These hardy herbs grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9 and are perennials, meaning they’ll come back every year. If any of that sounds appealing, check out our expert guide on how to grow chives below.
Additional copy by Meghan Shouse.
Chives Plant Basics
How to Grow and Care for Chives
Chives are easy to grow from seed or seedlings. If you're starting from seeds, sprinkle them over the soil in spring, pat down lightly, and water well. Seedlings will pop up in about 10 to 20 days. If you've purchased chive seedlings, plant them in the ground or pots at the same depth they were growing in their original container.
When the chive plants become crowded, about every three to four years, cut off a bit of them with your garden trowel in the spring and re-plant them elsewhere in your garden or share the excess with friends. If you don’t want them to self-seed in your garden, cut the flower stalks at the base once the flowers fade.
Light
Chives need full sun, which is six or more hours of direct sunlight per day. However, they’re one of the few herbs that do okay in partial shade. In hot climates, such as Florida, they do better with afternoon shade.
Water
Chives prefer moist soil but are drought-tolerant once established. If it hasn’t rained for a few weeks, water deeply around the roots.
Soil Type
Chives adapt well to many soil types, even those that are low in nutrients. However, they do prefer well-draining or sandy soils, so if you have clay soil, grow these herbs in a pot.
Fertilizer
Chives in garden beds typically don’t need to be fertilized, but you can give them a light application of balanced fertilizer once each spring. Chives in containers benefit from regular water-soluble fertilizer at half-strength every six weeks, as nutrients leach out of pots more quickly with frequent watering.
Common Chive Diseases and Pests
Chives are hardy herbs that are rarely affected by pests. Their biggest risk is root rot if they are planted in heavy soils that stay too wet.
How to Harvest Chives
Use scissors or garden snips to cut off whole leaves at the base of the plant, about an inch or two above the soil. Flowers can also be harvested and used in salads or soups as a garnish. While chives are most flavorful when fresh, you can dry or chop and freeze them for later use. Harvesting regularly also encourages new growth.
Different Types of Chives
- Common chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the most common variety. They have a slight onion flavor.
- Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are chives with a subtle garlic flavor. The foliage is flat and grass-like, and the fragrant white flowers bloom later in the season, usually in August. Use them like regular chives.
Are Chives Toxic to Pets?
Unfortunately, like onions and other related plants, chives are toxic to pets, according to the ASPCA. They contain N-propyl disulfide, which can cause vomiting, the breakdown of red blood cells, weakness, panting, and a high heart rate. If you think your pet has ingested chives, even if you’re not entirely sure, contact your vet ASAP. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
