Details
Growing and Planting Care
- Seed selection is the key to success of your gardening effort. Careful selection of seeds that are disease-resistant and good yielders of high-quality, nutritious produce is recommended.
- Chive seed germinates easily and rapidly, usually within eight to ten days, but a constant moisture level must be maintained and a media with a high water holding capacity is recommended. Optimal temperatures for germination are between 16° – 22° C, with germination being most rapid at 21°C
- Chives are a temperate or cool season crop, which prefer good light levels combined with average temperatures, although they will grow well in partial shade.
- Warm temperatures (above 27°C), promote the formation of flower stalks which restricts foliage development. If both foliage and flowers are required for harvest then a compromise needs to be reached in terms of flower or foliage production.
- Often groups of chive plants are set aside for flower harvest only so that total removal of the tough, fibrous flower stalks can be carried out on those plants used for foliage production.
- Nutrient solutions for chives in hydroponics are similar to those recommended for other members of the Allium family, requiring good levels of sulphur for the production of essential oils and aromatics in the foliage.
- Care must also be taken with the balance of nitrogen so that lush, overly weak growth does not develop at the expense of foliage quality and shelf life.
- A Nitrogen deficiency will usually be characterized by reduced growth and nitrogen and calcium deficiencies, and reduced leaf quality and will speed up senescence of the older leaves and harvested product.
- The pH levels are best maintained at a level of 6 to 6.5, with an EC of 1.8 – 2.0 mS cm-1.
Harvesting
- The first foliage cut should not occur until the plants are at least 15 cm tall, and only a limited amount should be taken at the first harvest
- All of the leaves should not be cut at any one time – 1/3 to 2/3 of the plant can be cut, leaving some foliage for the next harvest and to provide assimilate production for the plant.
- Eventually the plants, after many harvests, can become less productive, so replacing plants every two-three years with new seedlings or divisions is a good idea.