About Chives

by Laurie

Propagation - Chives are easy to start from seed. Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Set them out when the weather is mild. Or transplant a self-sown seedling that's emerged in your garden, or divide a mature plant. Renew older plants by dividing every 5 years or so.

Cultivars - 'Ruby Gem' has gray foliage and red flowers.

Potential Problems - Plant in well-drained soil to prevent root rot.

Harvesting and Using - When you harvest the leaves or flowers, cut them off at the base to keep it looking tidy.

Garlic chives - An herb similar to Chives, but with a decidedly garlicky nuance, both in aroma and flavor. Garlic chive leaves have long, thin, flat stems, whereas the stalks with flowers are round and more closely resemble regular chives.

Open flowers, though beautiful, are a signal that the chives were picked from a more mature plant and will not be as tender as those with unopened buds. They may be snipped with scissors to the desired length and used in both fresh and cooked dishes. Garlic chives are also called Chinese chives and ku chai.

Medicinal

A good source of calcium, chives are believed to strengthen nails and teeth when consumed. And there is some evidence that chives can improve digestion and reduce high blood pressure. The oil has antibacterial properties.

Cooking

Chives are usually used fresh (though you can use dried chives) with baked potatoes, cream soups, and egg dishes. The leaves add tasty flavors to herbal butters. They also can be used to spruce up salads, cream and cottage cheeses and tofu.

You can chop up extra leaves by hand or puree them with a little oil to make a pesto to freeze.

Use the flowers to garnish salads or soups and to make lavender-colored vinegars. Be sure to wash the flowers out well, though, because they may harbor insects.

Chives mix well together with chervil, parsley, and tarragon to make a savory yet mild blend of herbs you can then add to your meat substitute marinades, soups, steamed vegetables, cream sauces and omelettes. Add a 1/4 cup chopped chives to your favorite biscuit (scone) recipe for an extra lift.

As with most herbs, add chives at the last moment to hot foods, since heat lessens their flavor.