Garlic Chives

Garlic Chives are an herb that provide a mild onion flavor with garlic tones. Also known as Chinese leeks, plants produce long, flat leaves that are hollow and easy to cut and mince. Leaves are tender and work great as a garnish or adding that signature onion/garlic flavor to your favorite dish. Chives are great additions to any egg dish, soups and marinades. They also are a signature ingredient in many Asian cuisines. Garlic Chives are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin K, which helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

In addition to the leaves, Garlic Chive flowers are edible and may be harvested for consumption. Plants will flower in the summer once temperatures warm. Plants will establish as perennials if allowed to reseed. If reseeding isn’t desired, harvest flowers once they appear. Garlic Chives provide a dense cover and work great in raised bed or container gardens. For in-ground gardens, it works great as a border planting around the edges of the vegetable garden.

Garlic Chives may be direct-seeded or transplanted. Direct seed with a walk-behind seeder and plant densely along the row. We suggest using a modified #1 or #2 plate for direct seeding dill. As always, seed plate holes should be modified to fit the size of seed being used. For large, full-sized plants, thin to one plant every 4″ along the row.  Chives also works great as a transplanted crop. We recommend starting transplants 4-6 weeks before the desired outdoor planting date. Chive transplants grow great in our heavy-duty seed starting trays, where they develop a solid root ball with roots that are trained to grow downward. Plants are ready to go in the ground when they can be easily pulled from the cells in the seed starting tray.

Garlic Chives Planting Information

Planting Method: direct seed or transplant

When to Plant: early spring and fall

Planting Depth: 1/4″

Seed Spacing: 4″

Row Spacing: 18″

Days to Maturity: 75