Are Chives Perennial? How They Survive and Thrive After Winter

Are chives perennials that grow back after winter? Here's what you need to know.

It's easy to grow chives at home, so you can always have a fresh supply of this delicious herb for your recipes. But are chives perennials that can survive the winter, or will you need to replant them in the spring? As you know, not all herbs are perennials, and not all members of the onion family are. Sometimes, a plant may be perennial but isn't hardy in your area. Here's what you need to know about growing chives as perennials, including potential pitfalls and basic care tips.

What are chives?

Like other members of the garlic family, chives form small bulbs. However, they are a perennial clump made up of a group of these small bulbs, which is slightly different from the way onions and garlic grow. The botanical name for the common chive we use in the kitchen is Allium schoenoprasum. Chives, also known as Chinese garlic, are a different species, Allium tuberosum, but they are also an edible perennial.

Do chives grow back after winter?

Chives are hardy in USDA zones 3-9. Since colder areas typically have a blanket of snow as insulation, this plant can survive winters even in northern areas. The leaves are fairly cold-resistant, often staying alive and green until early winter. While extreme cold will eventually kill the above-ground parts, subzero temperatures will not kill the roots of the bulbs and chives. Once the weather warms again, chives are usually among the first plants to sprout in the spring after a snowfall.

Tips:

Keeping chives in a pot indoors over the winter (next to some basil) is a great way to provide fresh herbs throughout the winter, and they are easier to care for than most houseplants.

Edible and Ornamental Perennial

Chives freshly picked from the garden are bright and delicious, but this herb has so much more to offer your garden. There are three main benefits to growing chives: fresh chives for the kitchen, beautiful lavender flowers, and an easy-to-grow plant that emerges in early spring to add greenery to a dull garden.

Chives can also be discreetly placed in shrub borders or placed in an open space in a flower bed. Here, their beautiful lavender flowers can shine, while you enjoy a steady supply of fresh chives. The flowers are also edible and frequently visited by bees. If you don't pick the flowers, the chives will taste just as good as when they're already in bloom, which isn't true of all herbs.

Tips for Growing Chives as Perennials

Chives are easy to grow, so you probably won't need to put in much effort once they're established in your garden. They grow best in full sun with loamy soil but can grow in partial shade. Although they require good drainage, they aren't fussy about soil type or moisture.

If your soil is low in fertility, an annual dose of inexpensive fertilizer will help. In most soil types, adding fertilizer isn't necessary. Container-grown chives will benefit from a monthly dose of fertilizer and will need to be watered when the soil feels dry to a depth of one inch.

You can keep your chives strong and healthy by dividing the plant every three to four years. To do this, cut the root ball in half or quarters with a spade, then graft one part into place. Then, plant the other parts in new locations to give them room to grow.

Pruning Chives

In addition to regular kitchen pruning, established chive clumps respond well to a mid-summer haircut. Chives left alone begin to look like wild-haired rock stars by the end of summer, and their tips may become slightly curled due to wind and weather. Take a pair of shears or pruning shears and cut off about half of the top. They will quickly respond with a new flush of delicious, bright green leaves. Add the cut pieces to soup broth or freeze them for later if you prefer.

Chives spread slowly, but they have a habit of self-seeding where they aren't needed. You can prevent this by cutting off the flowers before they produce seeds.

Winter Chives

Chives are cold-hardy, and while they may appear to die back in the depths of winter (they are not perennials), they will return in the spring. If your site experiences a harsh, snowless winter, add a thick layer of mulch over other perennials in the fall when covering them. Straw or shredded leaves work well. Remove the mulch in spring when daytime temperatures remain above freezing. When new green shoots appear in early spring, cut back any remaining leaves from last fall.

Container-grown chives grow well outdoors through the winter in mild climates, but in colder locations, you may want to move the container indoors or to another protected location where the soil won't freeze. The roots of potted plants are more vulnerable to cold than those grown in garden beds because they lack insulation from the ground. Extreme cold can damage the roots of even hardy perennials. Chives grow well indoors under a grow light, providing fresh green leaves throughout the winter.