When to Plant Chives Seeds

When sowing outdoors, wait until after the threat of frost has passed in the Spring, as soon as the soil is workable. If growing indoors, Chives can be started at nearly any time.

Where to Plant Chives Seeds

Chives do best when they receive exposure to Full Sun conditions. When planting outdoors, choose fertile, loamy soil, but you don’t want to over-fertilize, which will result in your Chives having a milder flavor.

How to Plant Chives Seeds

Plant in rows with groups of seeds about every 4 inches, or scatter your seeds onto the surface of the soil and compress. Don’t cover, as Chives seeds require sunlight to grow. You’ll see sprouts in 10-14 days. Once they’re 2 inches tall, thin to 1 plant every 4 inches. Planting indoors, can be done at any time as long as your chives get exposure to at least 6 hours of sunlight or supplemental lighting per day. After sowing your seeds, place your pot in a dark location that gets consistent temperatures of 60-70°F. When your seeds sprout, you can move them into the light.

How to Harvest Chives

Once Chives are about 12 inches tall, simply snip off what you need. You can cut Chives down to about half of their height without causing any harm to the plant itself. If your chive plant starts to flower, the flowers can be eaten as well!