Organic Staro Chive Seeds

Staro chives produce heavy sets of leaves great for fresh use or freezing. This essential kitchen herb with a mild, sweet onion flavor also has delicious edible flowers.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Chives can be grown year-round in Zones 9 and 10. To grow them year round in your herb garden, make sure they get amble moisture and mulch to keep the soil cool during heat waves.

Zones 2-8

• Direct sow in the spring once the soil is warm enough or start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost and plant out when the threat of frost is gone.

Planting Chive Seeds

• In Zones 9 and 10, direct sow or transplant out your chive seeds.
• To direct sow, plant seeds in well-worked soil that has been deeply watered and is debris-free. Cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. Chives can be sown close together in clusters. Thin to 2-3 plants every 2-8″ apart.
• If you are planting seeds in starter pots, plant seeds into thoroughly moist high-quality seed starting soil. Place seeds on top of the soil and cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. Multiple seeds can be sown together and thinned to clusters of 2-3 plants for transplanting.
• Fertilize with an organic liquid fertilizer once your seeds have germinated and are 1-2″ tall. When the seedlings are 3-4″ tall you can plant them out into the garden.

Growing Chives

• Chives are easy to grow! Grow in full sun to partial shade. Keep the growing area weed-free. Mulching heavily around your plants will help with weed suppression and moisture retention.

Harvesting Chives

• Harvest individual leaves at any time once plants are established. Simply snip and use! Chive flowers are edible too. Harvest foliage before flowering for the best flavor. The entire crop can be harvested 3-4 times per year by cutting leaves at the ground level. Chives are wonderful eaten fresh, frozen, or dried.

Growing Chives in Containers

• Chives are great for growing in a container. They can be grown outdoors or indoors with plenty of sunlight.
• Make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much.

Southern California Pro-tips

• Mulch heavily around your plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or overheat.
• Chives can be grown in partial shade in areas with high heat. Use shade cloth for protection during the hottest parts of the year.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Chives are an herb garden essential! Plant chives in your garden for flavorful recipes year round! Basil, cilantro, parsley, and tarragon enjoy similar soil requirements. Marigold flowers attract beneficial insects while adding beauty and color to the herb garden.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to chives at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.