Chives are one of the most popular kitchen herbs in German gardens and on German balconies. However, the herb owes its popularity not only to its aroma and high content of various vitamins, but also to the fact that the plant is quite easy to grow and care for.
Chives need cold to germinate
Most kitchen herbs belong to the category of light germinators, i. H. they must not be covered with soil when sowing, but at most lightly pressed onto it. There are only a few exceptions, chives being one of them. However, chives not only germinate better in the dark, as frost or cold germs they also need cooler temperatures of up to a maximum of 18 °C. However, germination temperatures between just above zero and approx. 10 °C are optimal. You must observe these two requirements if you want to successfully grow chives yourself.
sow chives
As a cold germinator, chives are also one of the plants that do not have to be grown on the warm windowsill. Instead, simply sow the fine seeds from mid-March / early April at the latest directly in the bed or in the pot (which is best outside). However, make sure that the soil is free from frost. Sowing works best as follows:
- Choose a sunny to partially shaded location with humus-rich soil.
- Mix a damp sand/humus mixture with the seed.
- Prepare the seedbed: Dig up the bed properly, incorporating compost, manure or horn shavings (€32.93).
- Break up the crumbs and rake the surface nice and smooth.
- Now apply the soil-seed mixture evenly.
- Sieve another layer of garden soil about one to two centimeters thick over it.
- If the weather is very cold, you can cover the surface with newspaper.
- The newsprint keeps freezing temperatures away, but does not create a humid greenhouse environment.
- Such a humid climate should be avoided, as otherwise mold can form.
Depending on the temperature and weather, the first green tips will appear within seven to fourteen days.
tips and tricks
Although you can already harvest fresh stalks from the still young plant in the first summer, you should still moderate the pruning. In this first year, the chives should have the chance to grow and become stronger - then in the second year they will tolerate vigorous cutting much better.
IJA