Saflax - Organic - Chives - Allium schoenoprasum - 250 seeds - Tasty everyday herbage and basic seasoning. With germ-free and air-permeable coconut fiber substrate for successful cultivation. Worth knowing: Chives is one of the most popular culinary herbs and even among the French so called “Fines Herbes”. Chives is an allium plant with thin and long tubular leaves. Its smooth and hollow scapes (or stems) become about 25 cm long. . Chives is not only delicious topping a slice of bread with butter, but also well suited for soups, sauces, salads, eggs, meat or many other dishes. Even you can already harvest the scapes in the first year, it is advisable not to cut the plant too much back. In its first year Chives should be allowed to grow possibly sturdy, so it will tolerate stronger cuts much better in the second year. You can cut Chives with sharp scissors all year long. Only blades bearing flowers are inedible. To avoid flowering you can cut all the scapes back to about 2 cm. The plant will develop new shoots within a short period of time. However, the Chives flowers itself are good to eat as well, therefore, it is recommendable to also allow blooming for some of your plants. Natural Place: The origin of Chives still remains unclear, but it is believed to be in Central Asia, from where it spread through cultivation to the Mediterranean. Cultivation: Other than most herbs, Chives germinates under cooler and darker conditions. Plant the seeds about 1 – 2 cm deep into moist coconut substrate or organic herbal substrate. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you can avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and cool with a temperature of not more than 18° Celsius – even better around or beneath 10° Celsius, but frost-free. Keep the earth moist, but not wet (e.g. by using a water sprayer). Usually, the first seedlings will show after two to five weeks. From the beginning of April it is also possible to sow the seeds outdoors, but make sure that the soil is free of frost. Place: Chives grows best in sunny to semi-shady places, but does also well when kept in the shade. Care: Keep the soil always moist, but not wet. Water your plant as soon as the top layer of the earth has dried out. Fertilize the plant either very modest with compost or organic fertilizer for herbs, or don’t fertilize at all. During Winter: Chives can resist frost up to -25 °C without problem. You should cut your plant completely back in autumn and cover it with a thick layer of brushwood or mulch. Other than that, no safety measures are needed. The plant will shoot again in spring. Chives can also hibernate outdoors in a pot – just cut back the plant before the first frost and cover the substrate with some mulch. When Chives is kept indoors, it will also need a break during the winter. It is best kept in a bright but cool place. Keep watering your plant modestly on frost-free days. Bonsai: No Picture credits: Because of technical limitations links are shown as text. 25313-allium-schoenoprasum-seed-package-front-german.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-allium-schoenoprasum-cultivation-instruction-german.jpg - Frank Laue - © Saflax - saflax.de/copyright 15313-32-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-33-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-34-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-34-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-35-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-36-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright 15313-37-allium-schoenoprasum.jpg - About © : Contact SAFLAX - - saflax.de/copyright