How Do I Use Fresh Chives In The Garden?

Just one tiny floret packs a punch, so we tend to pull the blooms apart and add a handful of florets or buds. The flower scapes are also edible, although not as tender as the leaves. Fresh leaves and flowers are great in all types of salads. The chive leaves cook well, and retain their dark green colouring when cooked.

What can I do with fresh chives from my garden?

10 Ways to Use Chives

1. Add some interest to gardens and flower beds.
2. Use as a natural pest repellent.
3. Prevent erosion of your soil.
4. Banish plant mildew.
5. Fancy up your fish.
6. Give your bread a boost.
7. Add a pop of color to salads.
8. Spice up salad dressings.

Which part of the chive do you use?

All parts of chive plants are edible, including the bulbs, foliage, and flowers. Of course, the most common part to use is the tender new leaves.

Where do you put chives in the garden?

Chives thrive in full sun and well drained soil rich in organic matter. Have your soil tested. A pH range of 6.0-7.0 is best. They tolerate light shade, but six to eight hours of direct light is best.

Is it better to freeze or dry chives?

If you’re using chives in only one or two recipes, consider freezing a small amount and testing how those recipes turn out. If they’re a-okay, freezing chives is a good option for you. If not, stick to using them fresh. Overall, chives don’t last long, so freezing is the best solution if you have too much on hand.

Do chives grow back every year?

Clip leaves from the outer portion of the plant first, making sure not to clip all of the plant at once. If you make a mistake and cut back all of the plant, no worries. It will grow back the following year. Wait to harvest your chives when the plant is at least six inches tall.

Should you let chives flower?

The chive plant will flower in late spring or early summer. The flowers are edible and taste best just after they have opened—they should look full and bright.

How do you use a lot of chives?

7 Things to do with Chives

1. Top a Baked Potato.
2. Garnish Creamy Soups.
3. Make a Flavored Butter.
4. Season Fish Fillets.
5. Make a Salad.
6. Cook up Some Eggs.
7. Use in a Creamy Pasta Sauce.

Are the flowers on chives edible?

This pretty, light purple, edible flower has a light onion flavor. Chive blossoms can be tossed in a salad or, more commonly, used to garnish a dish. Chinese chives (or garlic chives) produce edible white flowers with a garlic flavor that is stronger than the leaf itself.

Can I freeze fresh chives?

Freeze chives.
Freezing chives is great for extending their shelf life by several months while maintaining their vibrant green color. Prep your chives for the freezer by washing them under cool water. Use a salad spinner or dry paper towels to remove extra moisture.

How do you keep chives fresh after picking?

Store fresh cut chives in an air tight container between damp paper towels. Store the container in the crisper draw of your refrigerator. Check the chives every couple of days and replace the paper towels as needed.

Should chives be cut back?

Spring or early summer is a great time to cut back your chives—about 60 days after planting from seed if you started new chives plants.

Do chives spread in the garden?

Neither onions chives nor garlic chives will spread, though the clump will get larger (like a bunching onion). However, garlic chives will reseed if the blooms are left on the plant long enough for seeds to mature and fall into the garden.

What can you not plant with chives?

There are some herbs you don’t want to plant with chives because they like different growing conditions. Oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, and lavender like dried, more sandy soil so these won’t grow as well in the same areas.

How long do chive plants last?

According to the University of Minnesota Extension, chives should be divided every three to four years. Spring is a good time to divide chives, as it gives them time to become established before you begin to harvest leaves.

How do you dry chives at home?

Here’s how you do it:

1. Cut the chives into 1/4-inch pieces.
2. Cover the chives with a dehydrating screen or mat, if your dehydrator comes with it.
3. Dry the chives for roughly one hour at 90 degrees F.
4. Do the dried chives crumble between your fingers? Then they’re ready.

Can you dry chives in the microwave?

Cover the herbs with a second paper towel or clean dish towel, then microwave them on high power. Most hearty herbs will take around 1 minute initially, followed by a few 20 second bursts until completely dry.

What do you do with chives in the winter?

Forcing Chives
Cut back the existing tired foliage, and water well. Site them somewhere well-lit under cover – a cold frame, greenhouse, hoop house or even a sunny windowsill indoors are all fine. Keep an eye on their moisture levels, and make sure not to over-water.

Why do my chives taste bitter?

Other factors influencing taste are polyphenols which may impart a bitter taste. In chives, these are predominantly the flavonols – kaempferol and quercetin and their glycosides – which are produced at higher quantities when the crop is stressed [5].

Do you cut chives back in winter?

Harvesting. You can harvest chives from early summer until they start to die back in autumn. Cut the leaves as required with scissors, snipping close to the base – the more often they’re harvested, the more new leaves will be produced.

Can you eat chives raw?

Their pungent flavor is best enjoyed when chives are taken straight from the garden. The most common way to eat chives is to chop them into small ringlets and sprinkle them on cooked food as a garnish. However, chives can be enjoyed raw or cooked in larger quantities.