Garlic Chives Perennial Chives Herbs Seeds - West Coast Seeds

PRODUCT DETAILS

A. tuberosum. This flat-leaf variety of Garlic Chives seeds has a strong garlic flavour and aroma. The white flowers and stalks are used (only a small amount is needed), to add the pungent taste of garlic to salads, vegetables, dumplings, and stir-fries. Popular in Asian cuisine, garlic chives are also known as ku chai in Chinese. While the leaves and flower stems are delicious and useful in the kitchen garlic chives are also very attractive flowering plants. Use this herb as companion plants to repel aphids from flowers or vegetables prone to attack.

• Strong garlic flavour and aroma
• Powerful flavour
• Popular in Asian cuisine
• Flat-leaf variety
• Add to salads, dumplings and stir-fries

All About Garlic Chives

Latin

Allium schoenoprasum & A. tuberosum

Family: Alliaceae

Difficulty

Easy

Season & Zone

Season: Cool season Exposure: Full sun Zone: Hardy to Zone 3

Timing

Start indoors from late winter through mid-spring, and transplant or direct sow once the soil has warmed in late spring. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 19°C (65°F).

Starting

Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep and keep moist until germination. If starting indoors, use bottom heat and plant 10-15 seeds per cell in a 72 cell plug tray. Transplant either into containers or into the garden once the soil has warmed up. Space clumps 15cm (6″) apart.

Growing

Clumps of chives spread to about 30cm (12″) across. They should be divided at that point and replanted to stand 30cm (12″) apart or broken up for container planting. Remove flower stems before they open to increase foliage production. Keep chives watered evenly throughout the season. For a winter crop, try digging up a small clump after the foliage dies back in the fall. Plant this in a container using loamy potting mix, and bring indoors to a warm, and very bright windowsill.

Harvest

The whole plant can be cut down to 4cm (2″) from the ground. Use scissors and take as much as needed. Chives don’t dehydrate well, so use fresh portions regularly. The flowers can be used in salads or to flavour vinegars.

Seed Info

In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.

Companion Planting

Chives are said to improve the flavour of carrots and tomatoes, and make a good companion plant for Brassicas. They help to repel aphids, carrot rust fly, and Japanese beetles. Avoid planting near beans and peas.