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Herb 09 Chives

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Herb 09 Chives

layout: base.njk title: "Chives" plantName: "Allium schoenoprasum" category: "Herbs" description: "Growing guide for Chives in West Virginia Zone 6b/7a" tags: planting-guide

Type: Perennial
Family: Amaryllidaceae (Onion family)
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
Hardiness: Zones 3-9

📅 Planting Calendar (WV Zone 6b/7a)

Method Timing Notes
Direct sow seeds March 15 - April 30 OR Aug 15 - Sept 15 ¼" deep, thin to 4-6"
Start seeds indoors February 15 - March 15 Transplant after frost, 6-8 weeks before
Plant divisions/clumps March 15 - April 30 OR Sept 1 - Oct 15 Divide established clumps, 6-8" apart
First harvest 60-70 days from seed Snip outer leaves
Divide established Every 3-4 years Spring or fall

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per clump: ¼-½ lb leaves per season (multiple cuttings)
  • Per patch (10'x10'): 4-6 lbs fresh (30-40 clumps)
  • Lifespan: 5-10+ years with division every 3-4 years

🌿 Growing Conditions

  • Soil: Moist, well-drained loam rich in organic matter.
  • Fertilizer: Moderate feeder. Annual compost. Side-dress with nitrogen mid-season for leaf production.
  • Mulching: 2-3" straw or leaves. Retains moisture, suppresses weeds.
  • Companions: Carrots (repels carrot rust fly), tomatoes, roses (repels aphids), cabbage family
  • Avoid: Beans, peas (alliums stunt legume growth)
  • Pests: Generally pest-free. Thrips occasionally. Deer resistant.
  • Diseases: Rare. Root rot in poorly drained soil. Good air circulation prevents issues.
  • Containment: Self-seeds readily. Forms dense clumps. Easy to control by division. NOT aggressively invasive.

Critical Note: Chives grow in dense clumps. Harvest by snipping outer leaves with scissors, leaving 2" of growth. Flowers are edible! Cut flowers to prevent excessive self-seeding OR allow for ornamental value and volunteers.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

'Common' Chives

  • Source: Widespread, most nurseries, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Notes: Standard chives. Hollow, cylindrical leaves. Mild onion flavor. Pink-purple flowers. Very cold-hardy.

'Grolau' Chives

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, European collections
  • Notes: German variety. Thick leaves. Less flowering. Strong flavor. Productive.

'Forescate' Chives

  • Source: Perennial collections, specialty nurseries
  • Notes: Rose-pink flowers. Ornamental. Good flavor. Vigorous clumps.

'Album' (White) Chives

  • Source: Specialty herb nurseries, European collections
  • Notes: White flowers. Mild flavor. Unusual variety. Ornamental value.

'Siberian' Chives (Garlic Chives)

  • Source: Baker Creek, Asian seed exchanges
  • Notes: Allium tuberosum. Flat leaves (not hollow). Garlic flavor. White flowers. Heat-tolerant. Different species.

'Purple' Chives

  • Source: Specialty nurseries, ornamental collections
  • Notes: Deep purple flowers. Ornamental. Good flavor. Attracts pollinators.

'Mountain' Chives

  • Source: Alpine plant specialists
  • Notes: Smaller, delicate. Mild flavor. Cold-hardy. Rock garden plant.

'Chive' (Onion Chives)

  • Source: Heirloom collections
  • Notes: Larger than standard. Stronger onion flavor. Vigorous.

(Note: Chives have limited variety diversity compared to other herbs—most are strains of common type.)

📜 Cultural History & Domestication

Domesticated: Ancient Asia/Europe, 5,000+ years ago

Archaeological Evidence: Native to Europe, Asia, North America. Used since ancient times in China and Rome.

Historical Record: - Ancient China: Chives cultivated 5,000+ years ago. One of oldest cultivated herbs. Mentioned in Shennong Ben Cao Jing (2700 BCE). - Ancient Rome: Romans used chives for flavoring. Pliny described growing chives. - Medieval Europe: Chives grown in monastery gardens. Less valued than onions but appreciated for mild flavor. - Victorian era: Chives in cottage gardens for flavor and ornamental flowers. - Name origin: French "cive" from Latin "cepa" (onion)

Cultural Significance: - Chinese tradition: Chives one of "five spicy herbs" (with garlic, onion, leek, mustard) - Roman belief: Chives increased strength, cured sunburn - Medieval medicine: Digestive aid, circulatory stimulant - Victorian gardens: Ornamental edging plant - Modern cuisine: Classic French fines herbes (with parsley, tarragon, chervil) - Symbol of usefulness, modesty

🌾 Seed Saving / Propagation

  • Seed method: Plants produce round purple/pink flower heads. Tiny black seeds form. Harvest when black and dry.
  • Isolation: 2+ miles (insect-pollinated, crosses with other Allium species)
  • Viability: 2-3 years
  • Division: Every 3-4 years in spring or fall. Lift clump, divide into sections with 5-10 bulbs each. Replant immediately.
  • Special notes: Self-seeds readily. Allow some flowers to set seed for volunteers. Germination 7-14 days. Seeds small—surface sow or barely cover.

📖 Sources Consulted

  1. West Virginia University Extension. "Growing Chives in the Home Garden." WVU Extension Service, 2023.
  2. Royal Horticultural Society. "Allium schoenoprasum (Chives)." RHS Plant Database, 2024.
  3. Kowalchik, Claire, and William H. Hylton, eds. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press, 1987.
  4. Ashworth, Suzanne. Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners. 2nd ed., Seed Savers Exchange, 2002.
  5. Chinese Agricultural University. "Traditional Chinese Herbs: Chives." Beijing, 2021.

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead