About Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
Garlic chive is not a cultivar of ordinary chives but a distinct species of plant. It is
commonly regarded as a major kitchen herb, tasting--as its name suggests--like chives with a
mild addition of garlic flavor. It looks like and is grown very much like ordinary chives.
One source says that "garlic chives tends to go dormant during the winter, [so] potting for
indoor use is not recommended." Fortunately, no one told our garlic chives about that, and
they go merrily along through winter growing abundantly. (We think they don't go dormant
unless the ambient temperature falls below about 40° F.)
Cultivars
There are many named varieties--but just try to find such a thing in our home-garden
seedsmen's catalogues. The cultivars fall into two broad classes: the types grown for
their leaves (the most familiar sort) and the types grown for the stems. Beyond that,
deponent sayeth not.
Planting
Garlic chives sprout easily from seed, after which they can easily be propagated
vegetatively by clump division--or you can cut the cackle and just buy a plant (they
are perennials). They are said to prefer a sunny position in a rich, moist, but
well-drained soil, but are also said to be quite forgiving of adverse conditions.
Growing
Garlic chives generally like moist (but not soggy) soil. During their first season, hold
down watering to encourage root growth.
Garlic chives tolerate heavy harvesting. You can treat it like ordinary chives, pinching
off any flower buds that appear, or you can let it flower in the autumn, as the buds and
flowers are every bit as tasty and edible as the leaves. Harvest leaves by cutting some, or
even all, being sure though to cut close to the soil level, so the plant "knows" to send up
new leaves. If your garlic chives plant seems to be getting woody, prune it all down to
about an inch above the soil level.
A little balanced organic fertilizer every season would not go amiss.
It is wise to re-divide one's garlic chives every few years, to maintain plant vigor.
Division can be done almost anytime, but is probably best done in spring.
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