In general, chives are easy to grow. It must be known that it requires sunshine. She needs an ordinary floor. Its flowering occurs in summer. It is harvested between April and October, so during a big time of the year.
Find plants
Plants are easily found in nurseries. We can also divide a foot of chives if our entourage already has one. It's done in the spring or fall. The division is realized by digging up a plant, one tries not to remove too many roots. Divide the plant in two or more, cutting sharply in the center with a spade. Replant separately at two different locations. We water abundantly at the beginning.
Seedling
Otherwise you can buy seeds. Sowing is done between April and May. For a spontaneous sowing, let some of our chives bloom. When the plant is in bloom, we will shake our head. The seeds fall. New shoots of chives will then appear.
Plantation in the ground
The best time of year to plant seedlings is between April and October. We must avoid placing the plants in a too sunny area, it is necessary that the chives bathe partly in the sun and in the shade. Otherwise, the plants may burn. Chives accept all types of soil. A little compost brought over the months will help develop it.
Planting in pot
You can also very well leave the plants in pots. The best is a pot of at least 8 inches in diameter and height. If the pot is larger, it will be even better, the plant can spread out, the earth will dry less quickly. Remember to put clay balls at the bottom of the pot, or pebbles with a layer of about 5 cm. This will drain the water well and prevent it from stagnating.
Spray
The chives must remain in a wetland. And so think of watering the earth as soon as it is dry. It should not be over watered, however, because the bulb of the chives is fragile and can quickly rot if it is in the water all day, over several days.
Maintenance
It is often said that the cultivation of chives is easy. This is because this plant requires little maintenance and even tends to multiply quite easily. It is only necessary to prevent the plant from rising to seed. For this, we will cut the flowers regularly. We can eat the flowers without problem. To make spontaneous seedlings, however, we will keep some flowers, thus facilitating the proper development of chives.
We must preserve the plant from the cold, especially in winter. We can then continue to harvest it even at the end of the year. We put the chives in a greenhouse, or we overcome a glass bell. The plant will grow as long as temperatures are above 50 ° F.
It is best to remove dead leaves regularly and cut green leaves as often as possible to promote new leaf growth.
Diseases and insects
Chives do not really have enemies or diseases. On the contrary, it is even an insect repellent for other surrounding plants. However, in some cases aphids can attack plants, especially if they are grown in pots. Diluted soap applied to the base of the stems will repel these pests.
If the plants are thirsty in wet weather, powdery mildew can develop on the leaves. It is relatively rare. We can stop the powdery mildew by cutting the clumps drastically.
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