In today’s post, we are going to learn how to grow chives indoors effectively.
Some people believe that chives belong to vegetables. But chives are actually an herb. A flowering plant to be exact. The plant has edible leaves and flowers with a mild taste that resembles something between onions and garlic. Chives are commonly used as an ingredient in various dishes.
Fresh Chives Every Day
As you would expect, they are readily available in most grocery stores. Not everyone likes to buy herbs in stores, right? And also not everyone has the privilege of having a garden to grow herbs in, right? Don’t let it discourage you! Chives, just like many other herbs, can be grown indoors in pots. And that’s what this article is all about.
Growing chives indoors is not at all difficult and once you start you will love the opportunity of having chives readily available for your cooking endeavors.
Growing these herbs indoors is slightly different from growing them outside. That’s mainly because the plants won’t have as much space as outside and they will also be dependable on you as their sole source of water. I mean if you forget to water the plants, they are going to die. Their roots will also be restricted to the soil in the pot. Unlike in the garden, the roots won’t be able to reach nutrients other than those present in the soil in the pot. the flowerpot is simply a closed system and you, the grower, are going to be the only one responsible for it.
How Do You Start Growing Chives Indoors?
First, you will have to decide where you will obtain the chives. There are several paths to choose from.
Buying Young Plants
This is certainly the easiest way to start growing chives indoors. Small chive plants are often sold in nurseries or even in supermarkets. They usually come in really small pots and your best bet is to transfer them into a bigger container.
Transplanting Outdoors Growing Chives
This is also an easy way to start growing chives. If you’ve got chives in the garden already or know someone who does and is willing to share, you can simply transplant the clump of chives into a pot.
While doing so, make sure you don’t damage the roots. It’s also a good idea to trim the leaves before transplanting.
Also, the best time to transplant chives from the garden is Fall.
Planting Chives Seeds
Starting from seeds is probably the cheapest and most rewarding experience. There’s something special about watching the plants growing from seeds.
If you plan on growing the chives only indoors, you can plant the seeds any time of the year. If you plan on transplanting them outdoors, it’s often recommended to plant the seeds about two months before the first frost.
What Do Chives Need To Prosper Indoors?
Although chives are not overly complicated to grow, they do have their needs.
Lots of Light
You guessed it. Just like other herbs, chives need light. and a lot of it. Forget about placing the pots behind northern-facing windows. They are not going to like it there will grow extremely slowly.
Your best bet is a window sill that catches the sunlight from the south. Southwest, west, and southeast-oriented locations are also fine.
Also, keep in mind chives do not like drastic temperature changes and air draft. Place them on a window that you don’t use for ventilation.
Regular Watering
If the pot is placed in a warm spot and especially if there is a heater nearby, the soil in the pot can dry out quite quickly. Therefore, you should be checking the pot regularly, keeping the soil damp.
You don’t want to overwater the pt though. Otherwise, the roots are at risk of rotting.
Big Enough Pot
Chives will grow in pretty much any container you plant them in. However, it’s generally recommended to plant them in 6 to 8-inch pots.
Alternatively, you can also plant multiple clumps in bigger containers.
Good Quality Soil
Chives will thrive in good-quality soil. The easiest way to obtain such soil is by buying a potting soil mix that’s been formulated for growing herbs. Avoid soils with industrial fertilizers. On the other hand, chives will certainly benefit from good organic fertilizers.
How Long Does It Take For Chives To Grow?
It will take about three months for the plants to reach the state where you can start trimming the blades. They should be about six inches tall. If they are shorter, it’s better to leave them growing for some more time. Otherwise, they sometimes may not regrow once you trim them.
The first leaves will be rather thin. When you trim them, leave a couple of inches intact to allow them to regrow. They will regrow quite quickly. if you really love chives, it’s a good idea to grow chives in multiple pots so that you constantly have fresh blades of chives ready for harvesting.
Once the plants start getting older, the leaves will get thicker and flowers may start growing on them. The flowers are edible and tasty as well!
Closing Words
So that’s all for today and I hope your chives will prosper and provide plentiful harvests. There’s no better breakfast than a slice of bread covered with soft cheese and topped with fresh chopped chives.
Last update on 2024-06-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API