How to Keep Chives Alive Indoors

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are members of the onion family and are a common ingredient in dips and as a topping on baked potatoes. They grow well both indoors and out. During the winter, though, don't be alarmed if growth slows down as the light decreases and they turn a bit brown. Come spring, your chives should bounce back for another good year of harvesting, provided you properly care for their needs.

Planting pot
Potting soil
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Grow chives in a pot with drainage holes; otherwise the soil around the roots may remain too wet. Keep the soil moist, watering when it dries out an inch or two. After watering your chives, pour out the extra water in the drainage tray.
- 2
  Choose a high quality, loamy commercial potting soil to grow your chives in. Or, make your own soil. According to West Virginia University, you can mix two parts potting soil and one part perlite or sand to use as potting soil for herbs like chives. It also recommends adding in 1 tsp. of crushed lime for every 5-inch planting pot.
- 3
  Place your chives in an area where they will receive 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. The south or west side of the home near a window is the sunniest side but under a skylight or in a sunroom may also work.
- 4
  Fertilize chives every 4 to 6 weeks with a liquid fertilizer labeled 5-10-5, using half the strength recommended on the label, according to the University of Minnesota. Do not fertilize indoor chives in the winter.

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