Hi all,
I'm not sure what to do with my chives now that they've begun to flower. The stalk with the flower on it is really thick, stiff and strong.
Should I cut back the entire clump? Just pop off the flowers and leave the stem? Take the entire stem and flower and make a kitchen bouquet?
We really enjoy using the chives to cook with but now am not sure what to do with them.
Thanks in advance!
LoraB.
? re: Chives beginning to flower
I think I've heard of battering & deep frying the blossoms....
I generally just let them do their thing, but the older leaves do get less tasty once the plant has flowered. But my clump usually has a few tender young shoots that I can clip, so I don't worry about it. However, you should know that if you let them scatter their little black seeds, you will have chives *everywhere* LOL. I think the mature blooms also dry nicely for arrangements.
Hi Lora,
I had to read up on this subject as well since my chives budded for the first time this year. The flowers are edible and make a beautiful addition to salads. If you want to keep using the leaves; however, it's advisable to cut off the buds as soon as they appear. I decided to let one clump flower and to keep cutting off the buds on the other three. The flowers were so neat though that I plan on dividing the clumps next Spring so that I can have a lot more of them flowering.
I just planted enough chives this year to serve my entire neighborhood just because I love flowering chives.
That said, my one original plant from last year flowered a few weeks ago and I chopped it down to about an inch. It's now regenerating quickly and is actually beating the other plugs I planted 2 weeks ago.
Enjoy those chives! I think a dried arrangement sounds so good that I will do the same when mine flower again. :)
Well, I cut off all of the stems with flowers but one. I think I'll try to harvest the seeds on that one.
They're making a sweet looking bouquet now.
Thanks all.
Lora