GOOD TO GROW
Cherish chives this winter
November 18, 2008
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Sonia Day
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Chives; Allium schoenoprasum
Oh, those cursed clumps of chives! In summertime, they become too bossy in the garden, spreading everywhere. Yet at this time of year I love having them around, because you can dig up a chunk of their roots and bring it indoors for the winter.
Chives are, in my experience, one of the very few herbs that will adapt well to being hauled inside. (Forget basil, which gets woody, and oregano, which sulks.) Simply dig up a chive plant, whack a piece of root off, cut away all the messy tendrils that developed over the summer, then plant the trimmed-down version in a pot. It will look hideous for a couple of weeks. But after that, delightful fresh green shoots will pop up. And if you keep the pot watered and in a fairly light spot, they will keep on coming until spring.
I learned about the co-operative nature of chives from a gardener in Germany. Over there, many cooks routinely bring a pot indoors so they'll have a bit of fresh greenery to snip into soups during the long grey months. It's a smart idea – and one I've copied. However, because chives are aggressive plants, pots quickly get overcrowded. If you find halfway through the winter that the plant isn't producing well, tip it out and replant in a bigger pot. Or simply chop the rootball in half and start again.
This is my last Good to Grow column for 2008. See you again in March. Think spring!
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