Planting and care
How to grow chives
Cool/Warm season · Hardy perennial
Seed, rooted transplant or spring/fall division
10–18 in tall; clumps spread with age
Light harvest about 30 days after a well-rooted transplant; seed-grown plants often need 75–90 days or a full first season to establish.
Light feeder
Compact Herb
How to prune
Cut yellow foliage near the base. Remove spent flower stalks to stop self-seeding; divide overcrowded clumps in spring every 3–4 years.
How to harvest
Wait for leaves about 6 inches tall. Snip a small bunch 1–2 inches above soil with clean scissors, leaving part of the clump to regrow. Use fresh leaves or freeze chopped portions.
Harvest and kitchen use
Snip hollow leaves into eggs, potatoes, soups and salads; identified edible flowers can garnish dishes.
Nutrition and garden value
Aromatic herbs provide flavor and small amounts of vitamins/phytonutrients
High customer value in small space; flowers on many herbs support pollinators/beneficial insects
Common challenges and troubleshooting
Bolting, winter injury or root rot varies by herb