Harvest chives from your garden in late winter and early spring

Chives are one of the most enjoyable plants to have in your garden.

Because chives are a hardy perennial, their green leaves are among the first edible crops that emerge in the spring and can be harvested for use in the kitchen.

In mid-March, we harvested several bunches of chive leaves that we used in omelets, salads and, of course, sprinkled over baked potatoes with sour cream. It’s so much fun to harvest something that early from the garden.

Not only do they start producing very early, but they will also continue to grow all season. It’s a perfect crop for beginners, as well as the most experienced gardeners.

Chives can be especially valuable to those who move frequently but still enjoy growing things. The plants can simply be dug up, placed into a pot and moved along with the rest of the family members and pets, then transplanted in their new home.

When dug up and moved, chive plants can re-establish themselves very quickly and are fairly forgiving of growing conditions. That doesn't mean they can be ignored, but with minimum care they will continue to provide tasty chopped chives for your recipes.

They grow best in full sun but can tolerate some light shade. Fertile garden soil is preferred but they can grow in a wide range of soil conditions.

One important thing to remember is to fertilize them from time to time, especially if you are harvesting often. The re-growing leaves need additional nutrition in order to grow. A shot of fish emulsion or soluble nitrogen fertilizer once a month should be adequate.

They are also at home as part of a flower garden. Their dark green foliage and purple flowers make an attractive low-growing border plant. They typically grow only to about 8 to 10 inches tall.

Chives can even be grown indoors in a sunny window, which makes it handy whenever a few sprigs of chives are needed.

As you can tell by the flavor, chives are a part of the onion family of plants. They have swollen, bulb-like parts between the roots and the tops, similar to what a green onion has. Chives can be grown from seed using similar techniques for starting onions. Place the seeds in a good seed-starting mix about 1/4 of an inch deep. Since chive seeds germinate best in total darkness, cover your seed starting containers with a dark cloth until the seeds sprout, usually in 10 to 14 days if the soil is kept warm at about 60 to 70 degrees F.

The seeds can also be sown directly into the garden once the soil warms up. The main drawback to direct seeding is the weeks of work tending to the tiny, thread-like seedlings until they get established.

Chives would be a great candidate for outdoor winter sowing in plastic jugs.

The absolute best way to obtain chives is to ask a gardener friend for a small clump of plants, most long-time gardeners have a clump or two of chives that they have been growing for years.

Since chives grow fast and will multiply quickly once established, most gardeners would be happy to share a part of their extra chive plants.

Harvesting your own chives is very economical, considering a small ½ ounce package of fresh chives runs about $2.50 in the produce department. And once they get going, you’ll be able to harvest all of the chives you’ll need all season long, plus they will be absolutely fresh coming right from your own garden.

When harvesting chives, always use a sharp cutting tool or pair of scissors to cut as close to the base of the plant as you can. That way all new replacement growth will be fresh and tender. Some cooks make the common mistake of cutting just the tips off of the chives, which just causes the lower part of the stems left behind to get tough and lose flavor. What we’re aiming for is succulent and flavorful chives.

The small purple pompom flowers that grow on their flower stalks are also edible and make a colorful garnish or tasty addition to a salad. It’s best though not to let flowers develop, as this sends nutrients and plant energy to the flowers and tends to reduce the flavor of the leaves somewhat.

Chives may be harvested and stored for use during the off-season. One way is to freeze cut-up stems in ice cube trays covered with water. Or harvest a cupful at a time, then wash, drain and place them in a jar to freeze loosely.

Drying is also a good way to store chives. Since the leaves are so thin, it doesn’t take much time or heat to dry them. Dried chives keep very well in tightly sealed glass jars.

For really fresh chives during the winter, dig up part of a clump in early fall and replant it into a pot. Place the pot into the garden soil for several weeks to let the plant become accustomed to growing in the container. Then take it indoors and place it in a sunny window. You should be able to harvest chives well into winter.

Clumps of chives can eventually become crowded and should be divided to maintain vigor. When they do become crowded, break apart the plant clumps in the spring or fall and replant them. This might need to be done every three years or so. And don’t forget to give some away to your gardening friends.

We’ve already cut our first bunch of chives, since with the recent warm weather, they were making great growth. This cold snap will slow them down, but they will bounce right back once the weather warms back up.