CHIVES...

lesa

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Okay, okay.... I'll go harvest some of my chives for tonight's dinner!! Certainly, I agree once they are growing, they are super easy (do nothing to them) herbs. I do enjoy the flowers and so do the bees... But, if mine died tomorrow I probably wouldn't notice!
 

hoodat

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Chives are one of the things that are kind of hard to get going but once they are they pop up all over the place. In many parts of the country they are even a weed in lawns.
I don't care that much about regular chives but I realy love my Chinese garlic chives with the edible flower shoots. They really pep up a stir fry.
 

digitS'

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hoodat said:
. . . my Chinese garlic chives with the edible flower shoots. They really pep up a stir fry.
Now, there's one that I had a complete bust trying to start from seed.

:( Steve
. . . lawn weed?? huh!? maybe we can forgive Lesa . . . ;)
 

thistlebloom

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Well mine are in pot out by the garden water hydrant and get full afternoon sun. I'm not a very thoughtful chive grower, they get watered when I look at them, which because of where they are is probably plenty often. I usually forget to harvest them when we're having something chiveable, and don't want to trudge all the up to the garden, so poor little neglected things just keep patiently growing
hoping for a little recognition and appreciation.
 

HunkieDorie23

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I have a pot of chives I started this year but now I don't know what to do with them. Can I grow them outdoors? I am uncertain about how to harvest them. If I cut them off will they regrow like basil? Do I have to wait for them to flower or do I want to harvest them before they go to seed.
 

lesa

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They can definitely be grown outside. Don't plant them on the edge of a garden, near grass- or they will creep together, and be hard to harvest. You can just trim off the tops of the chives anytime you would like a subtle onion flavor. The flowers are also edible and look cute in a salad, etc...
Wanted to let everyone know, that I did use some of mine in an omelet the other day. Still not life changing, sorry!!
 

thistlebloom

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HunkieDorie23 said:
I have a pot of chives I started this year but now I don't know what to do with them. Can I grow them outdoors? I am uncertain about how to harvest them. If I cut them off will they regrow like basil? Do I have to wait for them to flower or do I want to harvest them before they go to seed.
Chives are pretty much bomb proof. Once you have them, you'll always have them pretty much. Mine were dug up and given to me, and I just plopped them in a pot outside because I didn't know where I wanted them permanently. That was about 3 years ago, (maybe I'm the indecisive type...). They come up every year.
You can cut them off when you harvest and they regrow (like basil )
and you can harvest whenever you get the urge. See? Bombproof.
 
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