Chives - The Perfect Herb

In short: Chives are a perennial onion-flavoured herb from the Allium genus with hollow leaves up to 30 cm tall and pink-purple flowers. They grow almost anywhere with plenty of sun and water, including in a pot by the window, give a first harvest in 3–5 weeks and survive winter in the garden.

Chives are an onion-like plant growing in clumps. Interestingly, they belong to the garlic genus, which is why they're sometimes called that. Chives are a perennial herb with an amazing onion flavour, which is so specific that it really can't be replaced with anything else! Chive leaves are actually hollow tubes growing up to 30 centimetres tall. Plus, they bloom beautifully with pink-purple flowers, so they'll wonderfully brighten up any garden!

Chives will simply decorate both our windows and plates!

How did they get to us?

Chives are a plant that occurs abundantly throughout Europe, Asia, North America, Siberia and Kamchatka, from where they supposedly originate. Their use was also known to the inhabitants of ancient Greece and Rome. Here, we can find them wild as mountain chives in the Krkonoše and Hrubý Jeseník mountains. Shore chives or true chives can be found in lowlands and along the banks of the Elbe, Vltava and Berounka rivers.

Growing garden chives

You could say that this herb will grow anywhere. However, every gardener knows that it likes plenty of sunshine and sufficient water. If you're growing chives at home by the window, the same conditions apply. It's good to plant them in quality soil and you can expect results in 3-5 weeks. It's also recommended to trim chives frequently so they don't start drying out!

Chives are basically a weed, they'll grow almost anywhere. When you want to transplant them, divide the clumps, dig them up and relocate.

Chives are full of vitamins!

It's really healthy to eat chives, as they're a vitamin bomb and taste great too! This herb contains vitamin C, A, B2, sulphur essential oil, minerals (calcium, iron, potassium salts, etc.). Moreover, they stimulate appetite and aid digestion! After consuming 100g of this leafy green, our body gains 10mg of vitamin C.

Storage

It's best to use the herb fresh, as heat treatment causes it to lose its exceptional flavour and especially valuable vitamins. Another option is to dry or freeze and store them. However, it's not recommended to store them dried for long, as they quickly lose their unique aroma. Because chives withstand frost, we can simply leave them in the garden even through winter. In spring, they'll recover on their own again.

Chives are an excellent kitchen helper. Especially for beautifying and flavouring various dishes!

Use

Chives are excellent just on bread with butter, but we primarily use them in salads, sauces, egg dishes, and also with fish. We can partially replace the taste of onion with them. Everything in moderation though. They also work perfectly as a food decoration. Plates garnished with chives are an integral part of Czech gastronomy!

What to Add?

Chives are not only a wonderful herb that perfectly seasons almost any dish, but they also serve as an excellent aphid repellent. And a final tip: It is said that when chives don't grow and wither, you should place a stone next to them!