Garlic Chives 500 Seeds Allium tuberosum Free Shipping!
Garlic Chive seeds yield lovely white flowers that really enhance your herb garden! The slender flat leaves pack a sweet garlic punch and can be tossed into sauces, dips, salads, or even steamed veggies. You can also harvest the seed stems for use in Asian recipes. This herb is pretty resilient.
Hailing from western China, garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) have been a staple in Asian cooking for thousands of years. Unlike the usual tubular leaves of regular chives, garlic chives feature flat, narrow blades; some gardeners even blanch them to achieve a pale yellow hue. Dishes like traditional pad Thai, Chinese jiaozi, and various Korean meals such as buchukimchi often include garlic chives; they’re also a fantastic addition to stir-fries, soups, and meals with eggs or fish. The subtly garlic-scented leaves of Allium tuberosum are frequently used more as a vegetable than an herb, and they can easily replace regular chives. Garlic chives are loaded with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, calcium, and iron.
Common Names: Oriental Garlic, Asian Chives, Chinese Chives, Chinese Leek
Latin Name: Allium tuberosum
Type: Open Pollinated, Heirloom, Cool Season|Warm Season
Life Cycle: Perennial
USDA Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Seeds per Ounce: 10,000
Planting Method: Direct Sow
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Height: 14 Inches
Color: Green
Bloom Season: Blooms Late Summer, Blooms Early Fall
Uses: Attracts Butterflies, Aromatic
Sowing: Garlic chive seeds thrive in various soil types, but they do best in moist, well-drained soil with plenty of sunlight or some shade. If you're in a short growing season, you can start the seeds indoors in a flat; just make sure to provide bottom heat for quicker germination. For direct sowing, plant the garlic chive seeds 1/4" deep in rows spaced 18" apart after the last frost of spring, and thin them to 6-8" apart once the seedlings pop up. You should see germination within 14 days. Garlic chives also do great in containers. If you're into companion planting, try putting garlic chives with carrots; it enhances the flavor and yield of the carrots.
Growing: Keep the soil moist while the seedlings are growing. Garlic chives will spread quickly each year, and you can easily divide them for new plantings. To stop the plant from reseeding, make sure to remove the seed heads and keep it trimmed. If you want to blanch the leaves, just cover the plant with a thick layer of straw. After a few frosts, cut the plant back to the ground.
Harvesting: In the first year after planting, avoid harvesting garlic chives to let them develop strong roots. In their second year, you can start harvesting them anytime after they reach 6" in length, cutting them 1/2" above the soil with a sharp knife or scissors. Regular cutting actually boosts production because it encourages new growth; however, flower growth can slow down leaf production significantly. The leaves can be stored in the fridge for about a week, and while they can be frozen, they lose their flavor when dried. Add the leaves to hot dishes right at the end, as they lose their flavor quickly with heat. The strong onion-flavored buds and flowers are also edible and make for great garnishes.
Seed Saving: Let the flowers grow and form seed heads. Once the seed heads are brown, take them off before they burst open and scatter their seeds. Lay them out to dry in a safe spot, away from direct sunlight. Gently rub the dried heads to get the seeds out of the pods. Keep the seeds in a cool, dry area for up to 2 years.
