Easy to Grow Chives

Everyone can grow a few fresh herbs, so let’s talk easy to grow chives today on Southern Gardening.

I try to grow a variety of herbs in my container garden each year for both the kitchen and their ornamental value. Some can be really temperamental and some are easy, what I like to call using a sports reference “no look gardening”. Chives fall into the easy category and are a favorite. This versatile herb, with their distinctly mild onion flavor, thrives in my container herb garden. I grow the 8 to 10 inch plants in containers with afternoon shade. Chives will grace your herb garden with bright green stems and when they’re in bloom are topped with edible pinkish purple pom-pom globe shaped flowers that look and taste great when in a fresh salad. As with all container-grown herbs, they should be grown in a place that’s convenient for harvest; a pot on the porch near the back door will keep these garden fresh flavors ready for tonight’s dinner. Snip the chive leaves with a pair of sharp scissors. Continuous harvesting will keep the plant producing delicious new growth, I’m betting you’ll end up with more than one plant to keep up with the recipe demand. If you’re not used to using fresh chives, the lively oniony flavor is amazing. I like to go out and harvest a few leaves and sprinkle on my morning eggs. Until next time, I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman enjoying our Southern Gardening.