DibbleGrowing chives: from seed to harvest
Set out divisions, or start seed indoors about 4 weeks before planting out, once the soil is workable. A hardy perennial whose purple flowers feed pollinators. Divide the clumps every few years to keep them vigorous.
Planting dates for chives by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Not suited | ||
| Zone 4 | March 29 | April 26 | July 14 |
| Zone 5 | March 20 | April 17 | July 3 |
| Zone 6 | March 13 | April 10 | July 1 |
| Zone 7 | February 23 | March 23 | June 13 |
| Zone 8 | August 26 | September 23 | March 22 |
| Zone 9 | September 5 | October 3 | March 22 |
| Zone 10 | September 22 | October 20 | April 22 |
| Zone 11 | September 15 | October 13 | March 22 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Chives:
Better kept apart:
Family and rotation
Chives is in the alliums family. Light feeders that deter pests. Good rotation partners; keep away from beans and peas. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Onion
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When to plant
Questions
When should I plant chives?
It depends on your zone. Chives is a hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow chives?
About 80 days from transplant to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 150 days after that.
What grows well with chives?
Good companions include Carrot, Tomato. Keep it away from Bean (bush), Pea.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.