How to Grow Chives in the UK – Complete Growing Guide

Chives are among the easiest and most productive herbs you can grow in a UK garden. They are perennial – come back year after year without replanting – tolerant of most soil types, happy in sun or partial shade, virtually pest free and harvestable for nine months of the year in most parts of the UK. A single clump established in spring will supply a kitchen with fresh chives from March through to November, producing a mild onion flavour that works across everything from scrambled eggs to salads, soups and baked potatoes.

They are also genuinely attractive garden plants. The purple globe-shaped flowers that appear in May and June are excellent for pollinators – particularly bees – and look striking in a border or herb bed alongside lavender and thyme. Unlike some herbs that need very specific conditions, chives are forgiving and adaptable, making them an excellent starting point for anyone new to growing herbs.

Why grow chives

The practical case for growing chives is strong. Fresh chives have a brightness and delicacy that dried chives cannot replicate – the flavour dissipates quickly once cut and dried, making the fresh herb significantly more valuable than any processed alternative. Having a clump in the garden or on a windowsill means fresh chives are available at any time without a trip to the supermarket, where they are sold in small quantities at a high cost per gram relative to what you can grow yourself.

Chives are also one of the most reliable companion plants in the vegetable garden. Their strong onion scent deters aphids and carrot fly, and planting a row around a raised bed of carrots is one of the traditional methods of reducing carrot fly damage. They are worth including in any kitchen garden for this practical benefit alongside their culinary value.

Varieties of chives

For most UK gardeners, common chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the best starting point. They are widely available, perform reliably across the country and suit the broadest range of culinary uses. Garlic chives are worth adding once you have the basics established – the mild garlic flavour is different enough to be genuinely useful as a second variety rather than a duplicate.

Sowing and planting

Chives can be grown from seed or bought as established plants from a garden centre. Starting from seed is cheap and straightforward – sow indoors from March in small modules or pots of multipurpose compost, barely covering the seeds. Germination takes 10-14 days at room temperature. Grow on in a bright position and harden off before planting out from May once the risk of frost has passed.

Alternatively, direct sow outdoors from April in drills 1cm deep and 25cm apart. Thin seedlings to 15cm apart once large enough to handle. Direct-sown plants establish more slowly than module-grown transplants but require less indoor space and handling. Either approach produces plants ready to harvest lightly within the same season.

Buying established plants is the fastest route to harvest and makes sense if you only want one or two clumps. Plant in spring or early autumn in well-drained, reasonably fertile soil. Chives tolerate most soil types and are one of the few herbs that grow reasonably well in partial shade, though a sunny position produces more flavourful leaves.

Care and maintenance

Chives require very little ongoing care once established. Water during extended dry spells in summer – they prefer consistently moist soil but are reasonably drought-tolerant once the roots are established. In containers, water more frequently as pots dry out faster than open ground. Feed with a balanced fertiliser once or twice through the growing season if growth seems sluggish, though established clumps in good soil rarely need feeding.

Remove flower heads as they fade to prevent self-seeding, which can become excessive over time. Alternatively, allow some flowers to set seed deliberately – chive seed germinates readily and self-sown seedlings can be transplanted to fill gaps or extend the planting. The flowers themselves are edible and make an attractive garnish with a mild onion flavour.

Cut the entire clump back to about 5cm above soil level two or three times through the growing season – this encourages a flush of fresh, tender new growth and prevents the leaves becoming tough and hollow. After cutting back, the plant regenerates fully within two to three weeks. This cut-and-regrow cycle is the fundamental rhythm of productive chive growing.

Harvesting chives

Harvest chives by cutting the leaves with scissors 2-3cm above the soil level. Cut the whole clump rather than individual leaves – this stimulates even regrowth across the plant. Begin harvesting lightly from established plants in spring and more heavily once the plants are growing strongly from May onwards. Avoid cutting back severely more than three times in a season, as too many hard cuts reduce the plant’s vigour over time.

The leaves are best used fresh – chives lose their volatile oils quickly once cut and begin to wilt within a few hours. For short-term storage, wrap in damp kitchen paper and keep in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage, chop finely and freeze in ice cube trays with a small amount of water – the cubes keep for several months and can be added directly to hot dishes from frozen.

Dividing and propagating

Chives form dense clumps that benefit from dividing every two to three years. Dividing prevents the centre of the clump from dying out, which can happen in older plants, and gives you new plants to extend the planting or share with other gardeners. Divide in spring or autumn by lifting the entire clump with a fork and splitting it into sections with a spade or two forks back to back. Each section should have a good root system and several growing points. Replant the divisions at the same depth, water well and they will re-establish within a few weeks.

Common problems

Chives are remarkably trouble-free but a handful of issues occur in UK gardens. Onion white rot is the most serious – a fungal disease that causes yellowing leaves and a white fluffy growth at the base of the stems. There is no cure once established and infected plants should be removed and disposed of away from the compost heap. Avoid growing any alliums in the same ground for several years.

Rust – orange pustules on the leaves – can appear in warm, humid conditions. Remove affected leaves and improve air circulation around the clump. The plant usually recovers fully. Chive leaves that become hollow and coarse are a sign of over-mature growth – simply cut the clump back hard to stimulate fresh growth. Aphids occasionally appear in spring but rarely cause serious damage and are quickly controlled by the ladybirds and other predators that are attracted to the chive flowers.