[Maryann]

I've got a lovely big pot of chives bought from Aldi's which are on my kitchen window sill.
I was just wondering if I could plant them in veggie patch in garden as they are bit big for window sill now and also for some reason they seem to have lots of tiny little flies buzzing around them which I would prefer not to have in kitchen. They are bit like fruit flies - tiny and black....should I be worried about them and if I can plant chives out will they keep producing.

Not grown chives before so bit ignorant about do's and dont's.

Thanks for any help.
M.

[Goosegirl]

Yes I would think so. I bung mine in a space that gets most sun but a bit of shade so it gets enough moisture for them. Pick the flowers off when they appear as it helps the flavour of the leaves and stops them seeding in paving cracks etc.

[JayG]

Yes, plant them out; they are not very demanding. Try and separate them a bit because they do spread vegetatively as well as by seed, and yes they do seed prolifically but let the bees have their fun with the flowers first (you can actually eat the flowers!)

Give them a liquid feed after you have cut them back after flowering and you should get a further flush, then you could pot some of them back up and bring them back indoors for some leaves in winter! Not bad for a few bob eh?

[hamstergbert]

They work well if you split em up and plant thinly alongside paths etc.  Multiply well and in a few seasons form a nice edge to the path.

The purple flowers really add to the impact of a mixed leaf salad especially roughly tugged into three or four chunks.

[shokkyy]

I've got chives growing in every possible crack in my concrete paths. Had nothing to do with me, they just appeared and started colonising the garden. Strangely, they never come up in any of the beds, only in the concrete paths.

[tosca100]

I have masses of chives edging my little plot, they all came from supermarket plants. I usually split them in three. I cut each clump down periodically, in rotation, just to keep new fresh chives growing.

[sueanthony]

I agree with everyone, they are really easy to grow on outside.  I must say I often get potted herbs from the supermarket and pot them on outside throughout summer.  Its a great easy, quick way to do it.  The poor things are desperate to stretch their legs when  you see them in the supermarkets anyway so give them a bigger house and a bit of tlc and off they go, magic!

[Livinhope]

I've had a bunch of chives down the garden for 35 years, the only thing I ever do to them is pick them.  They are very forgiving and hardy.

[kermit]

I love chives and have 3 big clumps growing in the garden from old supermarket bought pots last year.  Ive been cutting as I need them.  They are all now just past their best (flowers dying back and looking less green overall).  Should I cut them down and feed for a 2nd flush, cut part of them and feed, or just feed?  Desparate for some more new stems!  They are well established.

[JayG]

Can't really think of anything else to add to my previous post in this thread! 

You should get some more stems this summer and can keep them going indoors for at least the first part of winter.

[kermit]

Can't really think of anything else to add to my previous post in this thread! 

You should get some more stems this summer and can keep them going indoors for at least the first part of winter.

Cheers Jay, just to check - you reckon its ok to cut all the way back across the whole bunch at this point in the year?

[JayG]

Yes; obviously any regrowth won't be as vigorous as the early growth as the plants will be "thinking" they've already done their stuff, but they will regrow if given a boost (and you won't easily kill them whatever you do!)

[kermit]

Thanks    First earlies and chives for tea tomorrow then 

[Livinhope]

I don't tend to do anything to mine except tidy up the bunch, there are always a few youngish leaves you can use if you hunt around.  Mine seem to survive on healthy neglect.

[tosca100]

I love chives and have 3 big clumps growing in the garden from old supermarket bought pots last year.  Ive been cutting as I need them.  They are all now just past their best (flowers dying back and looking less green overall).  Should I cut them down and feed for a 2nd flush, cut part of them and feed, or just feed?  Desparate for some more new stems!  They are well established.

I usually cut mine to the ground twice a year. Because I have several clumps I will do a couple at a time, then you always have some to cut and some fresh new growth coming on.