How to Grow Chives From Seeds Indoors

Acquire a planter suited to growing chives indoors. Choose a ceramic or hard plastic pot with drainage holes at the base, as well as a drainage saucer for catching excess water.

Filling the planter with a mixture comprised of 4 parts potting soil and 1 part perlite helps keep the soil moist between waterings. Fill the planter to within a half-inch of the top of the pot.

Spread one chive seed per square inch over the surface of the soil. Cover the seeds with a one-quarter inch thick layer of soil.

Mist the soil’s surface heavily with a spray bottle until the top one-half inch feels wet. Keep the top half-inch of soil moist during the germination process.

Set the planter on a sunny windowsill with southern or western exposure. Avoid heavily shaded windows or those with northern exposure since the chives will have insufficient light and warmth to grow.

Watch for germination in seven to 10 days. Rotating the planter a half-revolution each day after the seeds sprout provides even light exposure to all the seedlings.

Harvest the chives as soon as they grow to 5 inches in height. Snip individual leaves at the base and use them immediately since they rapidly lose flavor when stored.

Deadhead the plant as soon as the flowers show signs of fading, such as discolored petals. Snip off the flower stalk at the base using floral snips.

Thinning the chive bulbs after 2 years keeps the plants productive and healthy. Transplant half the bulbs into a separate planter or move them into the garden.