Guv's Gardens
Photo: Jamain, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Moist, fertile
- Soil pH
- PH 6.0-7.0
- Water
- Keep moist
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Height and spread
- 30cm
Guv's tipCut chives back after flowering and keep them moist. Mind the dogs and cats, though; chives are toxic to them.
Through the year
Timings are for the UK as a whole. Northern and exposed gardens often run a couple of weeks later.
When to plant
Sow Mar-May; plant out Apr-Jun
Harvest or flowering
Harvest May-Nov (Jun-Sep in some advice); flowers May-Jun
Pruning
Cut back after flowering
Making more plants
Division, seed
Watch out for
Aphids
Look for: Colonies of small green/black insects on shoot tips, sticky honeydew, distorted leaves
What to do: Squash or wash off, encourage ladybirds and other predators; insecticidal soap if severe
Leek rust
Puccinia alliiLook for: Orange pustules on leaves
What to do: Generous spacing, avoid excess nitrogen; resistant cultivars
Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.
Safety and spread
Pets and people: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses: N-propyl disulfide causes haemolytic anaemia, according to the ASPCA. Cats Protection lists chives as 'toxic - danger'
Weed risk: None known
Growing somewhere else? See this plant for the USA and Australia.
The Plant Doctor and the Guv's book
Printable pest and disease charts with real photographs, and all 50 UK plants in one book.
