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chives

chives

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One of the main reasons for growing chives is to harvest the edible leaves, which enhance the flavour of many savoury dishes.

This vigorous plant also produces clusters of brilliant pink to purple or white, button-like summer flowers, which are also edible and look wonderful sprinkled over summer salads.

Allium schoenoprasum is perfect for a sunny, well-drained border or gravel garden - and will make a decorative addition to herb or vegetable plot.

How to care for Allium schoenoprasum:

Alliums thrive in a sunny position with well-drained soil, making it an excellent choice for borders or containers. For potted plants, use a container with good drainage holes and fill it with a free-draining compost mix, such as a blend of multipurpose compost and grit, or loam based compost such as John Innes.

When planting, ensure the root ball sits at the same level as it did in its nursery pot, and water well after planting. Place the container in a sunny spot and water regularly during dry spells, allowing the top layer of compost to dry out between waterings.

Keep well-watered and snip off flowers to keep plants producing new leaves. In late summer after flowering cut all leaves down to about 5cm (2in) above ground level to encourage a new flush of young growth.

Sowing instructions:

Choose a rich soil in sun or part shade and sow sparingly into shallow drills in spring. Cover lightly with more soil and water well. They can also be sown in seed trays full of potting compost: pot on seedlings as they grow and transplanting outside allowing 10cm between plants.
Flowering period:
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Eventual height:
0.45m
Eventual spread:
0.1m
Position:

Full sun

Rate of growth:

Fast-growing

Soil:

Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

Fully hardy

  • InformationThis herb dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

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RH30004195
9cm pot
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RH30005615
2 + 1 FREE 9cm pots
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SD30000365
approx 300 seeds
£2.19
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Standard delivery Standard Delivery£5.95
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