Herbs · Easy
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Tower or Kratky, harvest down to the base.
- EC (mS/cm)
- n/a
- pH
- n/a
- Cycle
- perennial
- Difficulty
- Easy
Sound origin
Allium schoenoprasum
A huge natural range across the whole Northern Hemisphere: Europe, Asia from the Urals to Kamchatka, North America. It is the only garlic native to both the Old and the New World.
Source: Wikipedia (in English)
What it provides nutrients
Per 100 g, raw · Green onion or chives, fresh
- Rich in vitamin K
- Rich in vitamin C
- Rich in vitamin A
- Rich in vitamin B9
- Source of fiber
% of an adult’s reference intake (EU Regulation 1169/2011). “Source of”: at least 15 % per 100 g, “high in”: at least 30 % (thresholds of EC Regulation 1924/2006). A handful of fresh herbs weighs about 5 to 10 g: divide these figures by 10 to 20 for a real serving.
Key steps
- Sow thickly: 10 to 20 seeds per cube for a clump.
- Cut down to 3 or 4 cm above the crown: regrows in a few weeks.
- Divide the clump once a year.
- Edible purple flowers.
In which system?
| Tower | NFT | Growing medium | Kratky |
|---|---|---|---|
Approximate calendar
| Sowing | Mar., Apr., May |
| Plants | none |
| Harvest | Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct. |
Garden, patio, balcony: Belgian and northern French climate, earlier farther south. Estimates to adjust with your own dates.
Frequently asked questions
Chives in hydroponics: what pH?
No specific range is published for this crop in the Oklahoma State table: we do not force an unverified figure. Start from the common range of 5.5–7.0 and write down your results.
Chives in hydroponics: what EC?
Oklahoma State has published no value for this crop. Start low, watch the growth and record your measurements in a log.
Chives: which hydroponic system?
Best suited: the vertical tower, NFT and the Kratky method. Tower or Kratky, cut close to the base.
Chives: when to sow in Belgium?
Indicative window for a garden, patio or balcony in Belgium or northern France: March, April, and May. Adjust with your own dates.