Chives 101: Growing, Caring, and Cooking with This Tasty Herb

Chives are one of those delightful herbs that seem to check all the boxes: easy to grow, tasty, attractive pollinators, and useful in the kitchen. I love to go snip a few leaves to add to whatever I’m cooking.

Let’s dive into why chives deserve a spot in your garden, what types are available, how to grow them successfully, and the many ways you can put them to use. I’ll even sprinkle in a few fun chive facts you may not know!

Why Grow Chives?

First, they’re incredibly hardy. Once you plant them, they’ll often come back year after year with very little fuss. Chives are perennials in zones 3-9 and will come back year after year as long as their roots are not disturbed.

They die back in the winter and return in the spring and need some winter protection in zones above 7. I give mine some nice straw mulch for winter protection.

Their flowers are not only beautiful, but they attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Having chives in bloom nearby can help increase pollination rates in your vegetable garden, which means more tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers for you.

Read my article 5 Common Tomato-Growing Mistakes

From a cooking perspective, chives offer a mild onion flavor that’s versatile and fresh. They’re wonderful sprinkled on eggs, stirred into dips, or tossed over baked potatoes. And unlike onions, they don’t overwhelm a dish—they add brightness without bitterness. See my cooking suggestions below.

They are an excellent choice for small-space gardeners, apartment dwellers, and busy families who want a low-maintenance plant that keeps on giving.

Types of Chives

When people say “chives,” they usually mean the common garden chive (Allium schoenoprasum). But there are actually a couple of distinct types you might want to know about:

• Common Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): These are the classic slender green tubes you’ll see in grocery stores and recipes. They have a mild onion flavor and produce pretty purple pom-pom flowers in late spring to summer.

• Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum): As the name suggests, garlic chives taste more garlicky than oniony. Their leaves are flat rather than hollow, and they produce star-shaped white flowers in midsummer. Also called Chinese chives they’re fantastic in stir-fries and Asian-inspired dishes.

• Siberian Chives (Allium nutans): Less commonly grown, Siberian chives have broader leaves and pinkish flowers. They're extremely hardy and can tolerate harsh winters that might damage other varieties. They have a slightly more complex flavor than common chives and are perfect for gardeners in harsh climates.

All types of chives are perennial and useful in the kitchen, so you might consider planting more than one variety to enjoy different flavors and bloom times.

How to Grow Chives

Choosing a Location

Chives are flexible but happiest in full sun, which helps them produce strong, flavorful leaves. They’ll also grow in partial shade, especially garlic chives, which tolerate a bit less light.

A well-drained soil rich in organic matter is ideal, though chives aren’t fussy about soil type. They do best in well-draining soil with a slightly alkaline pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They'll grow in average garden soil without any amendments, though adding some compost never hurts. The key is ensuring good drainage – chives don't like to sit in waterlogged soil, which can lead to root rot.

Have a shady spot? Find out which herbs will flourish there.

Planting Chives

You can start chives from seed, but they’re slow to germinate and grow, so many gardeners prefer to buy a small clump from a nursery or divide a plant from a friend.

If you do start from seed, sow indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date and transplant outside when the soil warms.

If you direct sow into the garden, sow them about a quarter-inch deep in early spring, about two to three weeks before your last frost date. Seeds typically germinate within two to three weeks.

Space chive plants about 8–12 inches apart. Over time, they’ll form dense clumps. Garlic chives, in particular, can spread if you let them go to seed, so keep that in mind when choosing a planting site.

For transplants or divisions, plant them at the same depth they were growing previously, spacing them about 6 to 8 inches apart. If you're planting in containers, make sure your pot is at least 6 inches deep and has good drainage holes.

Watering and Feeding

Chives like consistent moisture, especially in hot weather, but they don’t like soggy soil. Water deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry. Mulching around the base of the plant can help conserve moisture and keep weeds at bay.

As far as feeding goes, chives don’t require much. A light application of compost in the spring will usually keep them happy. If your plants seem sluggish, some fish emulsion can give them a gentle boost. My favorite is Alaska Fish Plant Food

Learn how to grow this easy herb.

Harvesting

Harvest chives by snipping the leaves close to the base of the plant, taking care not to cut the entire clump at once. Regular harvesting encourages new growth, so don’t be shy about using your chives often. The best time to pick is in the morning when the leaves are crisp and full of flavor.

Flowers are also edible! Pinch off blossoms just as they open to use in salads, infused vinegar, or as a garnish. If you don’t harvest the flowers, be sure to cut them back before they set seed, or your chives may spread more than you’d like.

Pests and Problems

One of the joys of chives is that they’re remarkably trouble-free. They’re resistant to most pests and diseases, though occasionally you might see aphids, or mildew.

Companion Plants

They’re a natural companion plant. Because they’re in the onion family, chives can help deter pests in the garden when planted near carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Their sulfur compounds help repel aphids, making them excellent neighbors for roses, tomatoes, and carrots. Many gardeners plant chives around the perimeter of their vegetable gardens as a natural pest management strategy.

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Ways to Use Chives

Chives are one of those herbs that find their way into countless dishes once you have them at hand. Here are some of the best ways to use them:

• Fresh garnish: Sprinkle chopped chives over baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, soups, and salads for a pop of flavor and color.

• Herb butter: Blend chives with softened butter, a pinch of salt, and maybe a little lemon zest. Use on bread, vegetables, or grilled meats. Simply mix finely chopped chives into softened butter with a pinch of salt, then use it on bread, melted over vegetables, or dolloped onto grilled meats or fish. It keeps well in the refrigerator and can even be frozen in small portions.

• Cream cheese and dips: Mix chopped chives into cream cheese, sour cream, or yogurt-based dips. Perfect for parties or snacks.

• Soups: They're particularly lovely in cream-based soups like potato leek or butternut squash, where they add a fresh bite that balances rich flavors. A handful of chopped chives stirred into soup just before serving brightens the entire dish.

• Egg dishes: Chives are a natural with eggs—omelets, quiches, and deviled eggs all benefit from their mild flavor.

• Infused vinegar: Add chive blossoms to white wine vinegar and let steep. The result is a beautiful pink vinegar with a delicate onion flavor.

• Asian cuisine: Garlic chives are a staple in many Asian recipes, especially dumpling fillings, stir-fries, and noodle dishes.

• Chive flowers: they're completely edible and make stunning garnishes. The individual florets can be pulled apart and scattered over salads or used to top canapés. The whole flower heads can be used as dramatic garnishes for cheese plates or appetizer spreads.

• Preservation: While best used fresh, chives can be frozen. Simply chop and freeze in small portions, or freeze in ice cube trays with a little water or olive oil for easy use later.

Chives As Medicinal Herbs

Chives are one of the oldest known herbs. They’ve been used for at least 5,000 years both as food and medicine. In the Middle Ages, people believed hanging bunches of chives around a house could ward off evil spirits and disease.

Like other Allium species chives have antibacterial and antioxidant activities related to their rich organosulfur compounds. “These organosulfur compounds are believed to prevent the development of cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, diabetes, liver diseases as well as allergy and arthritis” as stated in a paper published in 2021.

The allicin and quercetin in chives may have immune-boosting properties. Research suggests that the compounds in chives, especially organosulfur compounds, may help prevent chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. 

Chives are a source of vitamin K, which is vital for bone health and are rich in vitamins A and C, riboflavin, thiamine, iron, calcium, and potassium.