Growing Garlic Chives Basic information
| Technical name | Allium tuberosum L. |
| Common name | Garlic |
| Family | Liliaceae |
| Planting time | Early spring, and late autumn or early winter |
| Crop type | Perennial plant |
| Temperature | 15 and 21℃ with full sun |
| Soil | Well-drained and rich in organic matter |
| Climate | Optimum temperature not freezing nor very hot and harsh |
| pH level | 6.0-7.0 |
| Humidity | 45-50% |
| Fertilizer requirement | Well-rotten manure or compost, an adequate level of nitrogen |
| Varieties | Black garlic, German white, Bogatyr, French pink, Chesnok red |
| Irrigation level | 1 inch of water per week in the dry period and irrigate two feet every ten days |
| Disease | Downy mildew, Basal rot, Botrytis rot, and white rot |
| Harvesting time | 60 days after seeding, throughout summer and winter |
How to Grow Garlic Chives from Seed?
Garlic chives grow well in a wide variety of soils, though they prefer moist, well-drained soil and full sun or partial shade.
Start growing fast-maturing transplants indoors or in flats under bottom heat.
Garlic chives should be sown in late April or early May. Plant the seeds 1/4″ deep in the soil, thinning the plants to about 6-8″ apart.
Garlic chives grow best when planted in containers.
Companion planting is a good idea for improving a variety of crops, and planting garlic chives with carrots will improve the carrots’ flavor and production.
More about Growing Garlic Chives from Seeds
Be sure to keep the soil moist while the seedlings are growing. Garlic chives grow quickly, and once planted, they are happy to multiply each season.
To stop seeds from developing, prune them off at the end of the season. The developing leaves should be blanched by covering them with a thick layer of straw.
Don’t cut the plant after a few touches of frost.
Also read the article How to Grow Garlic Chives in a Pot?
How to Care for Garlic Chives?
A good way to encourage root growth is to plant in a shady area. Make sure your chives don’t receive too much sun. They need lots of water, but not a lot of rain. Soil that is naturally sandy or light is best. It’s not necessary to feed them regularly, but they do appreciate a pinch of fertilizer at the beginning of the season. Harvest when leaves begin to wilt and keep chives in a cool spot. Don’t store them near apples or onions, as this will cause them to spoil.
How to harvest garlic Chives
To harvest the first season of garlic chives to avoid weak growth, you need to keep the plant’s harvest to a minimum. In the second year of their growth, harvest garlic chives any time after they reach a length of six inches, cutting them 1/2 inch above the soil with a sharp knife or scissors.
Frequent cutting improves production since this signals new growth. The growth of the flowers causes the leaf growth to slow down dramatically. The leaves are best eaten fresh. They keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week and can also be frozen.
Leaves shouldn’t be added to dishes until the very end of cooking. They soon lose their flavor with heat. The strong, pungent flavor of the edible onion-flavored bud is delicious as a salad or side dish. You’ll enjoy its earthy flavor for years to come.
Related Articles