Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Perennial
Grow chives for their mildly oniony leaves and for their pretty purple flowers which are also edible. Like a lot of herbs, chives are good pollinator plants… bees love them. Chives are great for edging vegetable and herb gardens, or grown in pots.
Sow Easy to grow from seed. Sow under cover in early spring and summer, and outdoors in pots or directly into the ground in April to August.
Uses The flowers can be picked and broken up to scatter over salads or omelettes. A versatile herb with many uses. Add to mashed potatoes, soufflés, sauces. Mix finely chopped chives with soured cream, black pepper and lemon zest to use as a dip or a topping for baked potatoes.
In the garden, chives look great incorporated into border designs, used to edge vegetable and herb gardens and grown in containers.
Grow Chives like moist but well drained soil. Sun or part shade. Cut clumps right back after flowering and water well. Fresh leaves will grow in a few weeks and you may well get a few more flowers in late summer. Clumps should be divided every three to four years. Snip off leaves as needed. Harvest sparingly in the first year to give plants time to establish.