Organic Chives plants - Allium schoenoprasum

Chives are ideal for enhancing salads, omelettes or fresh cheeses. They can be grown in pots or open ground. This perennial and hardy plant from China will offer a mild and fragrant foliage flavour. Chives can be planted in spring or autumn for a harvest from May to September.

This organic plant comes from Organic Agriculture and bears the AB certification.

Organic chives are tasty perennial aromatic plants. It belongs to the same family as garlic, onion and shallot. It has a tufted habit and thin, hollow, and cylindrical leaves. It is a perennial plant that will be cultivated for two or three years because beyond that, it tends to weaken and become less productive. It will then need to be divided. Chives are a must-have in herb gardens, but nothing is stopping you from mixing genres and planting them everywhere in the garden, especially at the base of roses: their flowering in pinkish-purple pompoms is charming, and their aromas repel aphids and prevent black spot disease.

In terms of cuisine, the fresh, garlicky and slightly spicy taste of its sprigs is suitable for many dishes: omelettes, stuffings, savoury pies or seasoning fresh cheeses. However, the bulb is not edible.

Harvest: The harvest of chives extends over a long period, from late spring to autumn, and is done with scissors by cutting the stems at the base of the tuft. Regular harvests stimulate the renewal of the foliage.

Storage: Chives can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator or for a few months by drying or freezing. However, it is preferable to fully enjoy its flavour, to consume it freshly picked.

Gardener's tip: To limit watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of clippings, preferably mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces weeding. Chives do not require watering except in case of high heat.