How to grow chives in a raised bed
Comes back every year. The purple flowers are edible.
Spacing9 plants per square foot
How to startStart seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost, or buy young plants
When to plantAbout 2 weeks before your last spring frost
Time to harvestAbout 60 days
Grows toAbout 12 in tall
Comes back each year inZones 3–9
When to plant chives in your zone
Dates are based on the average frost dates for each zone. Don't know your zone? Enter your ZIP code in the planner.
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the bed | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Mar 25 | May 6 | — |
| Zone 3b | Mar 20 | May 1 | — |
| Zone 4a | Mar 17 | Apr 28 | — |
| Zone 4b | Mar 13 | Apr 24 | — |
| Zone 5a | Mar 9 | Apr 20 | — |
| Zone 5b | Mar 3 | Apr 14 | — |
| Zone 6a | Feb 25 | Apr 8 | — |
| Zone 6b | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — |
| Zone 7a | Feb 11 | Mar 25 | — |
| Zone 7b | Feb 4 | Mar 18 | — |
| Zone 8a | Jan 28 | Mar 11 | — |
| Zone 8b | Jan 18 | Mar 1 | — |
| Zone 9a | Jan 4 | Feb 15 | — |
| Zone 9b | Dec 21 | Feb 1 | — |
| Zone 10a | Winters usually too warm | ||
| Zone 10b | Winters usually too warm | ||
Tips for raised beds
- In square-foot gardening, plant 9 plants in each 1 × 1 ft square.
- It stays fairly short, so it can go near the south (sunny) edge of the bed.
- Most vegetables and fruit need at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
Where to buy chives seeds
Burpee · True Leaf Market · Botanical Interests
Plan where your chives go. Pick your bed size and material, choose your plants, and get a printable plan with measurements, a shopping list and planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, no sign-up.
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