Chives
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Allium schoenoprasum
Perennial, Zones 3-9
Chives are popular herbs used as a flavoring in many recipes, and especially good on baked potatoes. The leaves are hollow and grass-like with an onion flavor, and the edible pink flowers may be used as a garnish in salads.
Plants may be purchased or grown from seed, and are easy to establish. After a few years you may wish to divide the clumps and give them away or transplant them into a new spot in your garden.
Like onions, chives are a cool weather crop and are one of the first plants in my garden to green up after winter. They bloom in late spring, but can be cut back if you don’t want blooms and the subsequent seeds that are formed.
Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) have a mild garlic flavor and the leaves are flattened rather than round. They are just as easy to grow as regular chives, but the blooms are white instead of pink.
For preservation, chives may be dried or frozen. To freeze, chop and place in an ice cube tray. Cover with a small amount of water and freeze the tray as you normally would for ice cubes. Once frozen, store the cubes in a freezer safe zip-top storage bag.
