This is the 2nd winter I've tried to grow chives inside and I've had very little germination: last year 2, that didnt make it long enough to get put in the garden, and this year ONE that's actually looking like more than ONE strand of thin grass.

Is there a secret to growing chives. I didnt plant any outside in my herb garden. Maybe they do better direct sown??

Give your chives a hair cut to three or four inches tall, till plant out.

Mine grow well outside, but I'm a couple zones warmer so that may make a big difference. I tried to bring some in a few seasons ago to have fresh chives during the winter, and that failed. Don't remember why. I'd try direct sowing, or buying a small plant from the grocery store and setting it out.

Mine failed indoors when I tried it. They're great outside but obviously not meant for indoor growing.

I can't grow mine indoors, either, Arlene. I can overwinter lots of other things, but chives are not one of them.

Thank you all! The one I have that I sprouted inside is about 3" tall, so I'll not let it get too much taller

Chives detest being inside.
Best to directly plant outside has been my experience. Once they take hold, they do well here in Zone 5B.

You're 100% correct yet all of us who have tried know they resent any attempt to grow them inside, but that doesn't stop us from wanting the taste of chives. I've frozen chive butter and that helps for winter.

I wonder if they might do ok in a cooler setting, like a basement. Perhaps I'll give that a try this next winter.

I'm just guessing here. Since they pop up so early in spring, I wonder if a cool window, northeast facing, would help. I'll give it a try (if I remember).

Although I agree that they don't do that well inside, your chives still should have sprouted for you; I suspect the seed may not have been fresh enough, most onion-type seeds don't stay viable for very long. Outdoors they are about the easiest thing in the world -- they grow fine in the ground or in pots, survive our winters here with no trouble, and bees love the flowers

I bring in one or two pots of chives, or start a new pot from fresh seeds. Chives need full sun. Mine go in an unobstructed window that faces due south, and they get 9 or more hours of full unobstructed sunlight per day. I've tried them away from the window, under bright interior lighting supplemented by grow lights, but they don't do well without a whole lot of actual direct sunlight.

I believe all herbs do best outdoors and the sun brings out the oils in the leaves that we all enjoy so much. They can be grown indoors, and under lights, but the best flavor comes with the sunshine outside.

The rosemary, Madeline Hill, which I brought indoors in November, tasted much better when it was outside.

pirl said:Mine failed indoors when I tried it. They're great outside but obviously not meant for indoor growing.

Why not? I wanna to try indoor, many sites writing about that. Skimmed them my first thought was: nothing hard

Welcome to NGA, @George_M .

I hope you'll show us some photos as your chives progress indoors!

I think indoors, without fresh air and enough humidity, they just don't do well regardless of which window I place them.

We have a lot of wild chive growing in the yard. I tried it indoors, under lights in the basement, with so-so results. For us it's easier to just harvest it out of the yard. I do need to transplant some into the garden, since the mower makes short work of it otherwise.

Growing them indoors has never worked well for me -- but that may be because the only time I've tried it is when the weather gets too cold to keep harvesting them outdoors, and the dry air and lack of sunlight here in the winter is probably the kiss of death for them.

For some reason, I can't even grow onion chives in my yard. Something keeps eating them down to the roots, and they die. Garlic chives--not a problem.

I did grab some beautiful onion chive blossoms today at our herb beds at the fairgrounds, where we were mulching today. Will be making chive butter tomorrow--it also freezes well, so I can enjoy it later in the year.