The Best Way To Grow Chives In Containers

The Best Way To Grow Chives In Containers

chives with flowers
Summary:

Learn how to grow chives all year round in containers.

The Best Way To Grow Chives In Containers is so simple and easy. They really are one of the easiest most used herb I grow. It grows well in containers and pots and returns every year bigger than the year before!

Garlic chives growing in a container beside petunias
Credit to Busy Bee’s Good Gardener

Types of Chives to Grow in Containers

Common Chives and Garlic Chives are the two most common to grow in containers. Furthermore, you can grow them all year round or watch them come back the next year.

Chives growing for the third year in same container
Source Good Gardeners Busy Bee Garden

Planting Your Chives

Chives need to be started indoors early as they take some time to grow. However, they need moist fertile rich soil like Miracle-Gro. They need to be planted 1/4″ deep and about 4-6 inches apart. Also, cover with a thin loose layer of soil. Minimum care is needed for those plants re-growing from the previous year.

Growing Your Chives

  • For a large production use nitrogen heavy fertilizers or coffee grounds.
  • After your flowers bloom remove them so that the seeds don’t keep spreading into the soil. You can let them seed if you want to keep some seeds.
  • Also you should divide the plants every 3 -4 Years. Do this in the spring and it will help your chives grow bigger and fuller each year.
  • Harvest your flowers! They are edible and taste best when they first open up.
Full Grown Chives in a planter

Pests and Diseases Growing Chives

  • Smut
  • Onion fly
  • Thrips
  • Rust
  • Mildew
  • White Rot
  • Bulb Rot

How To Harvest Your Chives

You can harvest regularly when you need them. I usually harvest them all 3 times throughout the summer and sometimes can even harvest a fourth crop. I usually soak them overnight and then dry them off, chop them and either freeze them directly into freezer bags for use all winter. Drying them is great too for your herb cabinet. If your drying them in the oven they do not take very long, maybe 2 hours tops. Place them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and back at your lowest tempeture. I usually use 170 degrees F.

Companion Plants for Chives

Plant your chives near tomatoes, carrots, peas, and beans. They repel aphids really well. They can also repel Japanese Beetles.

Products I can recommend for growing Chives

Basil Beans Beets Bell Peppers Carrots Cayenne Peppers Celery Chinese Eggplant Chives Cucumber Garlic Jalapeno Kale Lemon Lettuce Mint Onions Oregano Parsley Peas Potatoes Rosemary Sage Spinach Thyme Tomatoes Zucchini

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Written by
Our Busy Bee
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