Chives in Zone 10A — Florida

Chives are a fantastic addition to any Florida garden. Their mild onion flavor elevates everything from salads to soups, and they're incredibly easy to grow here. Plus, the purple flowers are a beautiful bonus that attract pollinators.

Our Florida gardening calendar is different; summer is the slow season for many crops, but chives can handle the heat with proper care. With our extended growing season, you can harvest fresh chives nearly year-round.

Starting chives indoors is an option, but truthfully, with our climate, it's usually not necessary unless you want a head start. If you choose to start indoors, begin in late October through mid November, about eight weeks before you'd like to transplant them outside. Use seed trays filled with a good seed-starting mix, keep them consistently moist with bottom watering, and provide plenty of light.

Place the trays in a warm spot. Remember our spring character is reversed, so starting indoors is more about getting ahead than escaping cold. Once the seedlings have a few true leaves, they're ready to harden off before transplanting.

Transplant your chive seedlings outdoors in late December through late January. Before planting, harden them off by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for about a week. Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade, and space the plants 8-12 inches apart.

The weather during this time of year in Florida is generally mild, but keep an eye out for any unexpected cold snaps and be prepared to cover your young plants if necessary. Honestly, though, buying established chive plants or dividing existing clumps is a much faster and easier way to get started than growing from seed.

Direct sowing chives is a viable option, and you can do it mid December through late September. Prepare a well-draining bed and sow seeds about ¼ inch deep, spacing them 8-12 inches apart. Keep the soil consistently moist until germination.

Just be aware that chives are slow to establish from seed. While direct sowing works, you'll get to harvesting much quicker if you opt for transplants or divisions. Still, if you're patient, direct sowing is a perfectly acceptable method, especially during our cooler months.

Chives need consistent moisture, but they don't like to be waterlogged, which can be tricky with Florida's humidity. During our drier periods, especially in spring and fall, aim for about 1 inch of water per week. Use the finger test: if the top 2 inches of soil are dry, it's time to water.

In the summer, with our frequent afternoon rains, you might not need to water at all some weeks. However, if we're experiencing a dry spell, keep an eye on your chives. Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the foliage, as our high humidity makes them susceptible to fungal diseases.

Signs of underwatering include wilting and yellowing leaves, while overwatering can lead to bulb rot, especially in our sandy soil. Add a layer of mulch around your chives to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Pine straw or wood chips work well in our climate.

You can expect your first harvest of chives in early March through early January, about 80 days after planting from seed or sooner if you used transplants. Look for leaves that are at least 6 inches tall. Cut the leaves 1-2 inches above the base of the plant.

This encourages new growth and keeps your chives producing. Chives are a cut-and-come-again crop, so you can harvest them continuously throughout the growing season. As the first frost approaches in late December, you can still harvest; chives are hardy and will often keep producing even after a light frost. Divide clumps every three years to maintain vigor.

Chives, like all plants, can face problems in Florida. Here are three common issues to watch out for:

Onion Fly

• What it looks like: Wilting or stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and small white maggots at the base of the plant or in the bulbs.
• What causes it: Onion flies lay their eggs near the base of the plant, and the larvae burrow into the bulbs to feed. This is more common during the warmer months.
• How to fix/prevent it: Use row covers to prevent the flies from laying eggs. Remove and destroy any infested plants. Beneficial nematodes can also help control the larvae in the soil.

Rust

• What it looks like: Rusty orange, yellow, or brown pustules on leaves and stems, mostly on undersides. Leaves yellow and drop prematurely.
• What causes it: Various rust fungi that spread via wind-borne spores. Favored by warm, humid conditions with moisture on leaves.
• How to fix/prevent it: Remove affected leaves. Avoid overhead watering. Improve air circulation. Apply sulfur or copper fungicide. Don't work among wet plants. Rotate crops.

Bulb Rot

• What it looks like: Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and a mushy, foul-smelling bulb.
• What causes it: Overwatering and poor drainage, especially in our sandy soil, can lead to bulb rot. Fungi and bacteria thrive in wet conditions.
• How to fix/prevent it: Ensure good drainage by amending the soil with compost. Avoid overwatering, especially during the rainy season. Plant chives in raised beds if your soil is consistently wet.

Florida Specific Challenges: The combination of hot heat, very-high humidity, and wet-summer rainfall creates a perfect environment for fungal diseases and bulb rot. Regularly monitor your chives, provide good air circulation, and avoid overhead watering to minimize these issues. Our sandy soil, while generally well-draining, can still become waterlogged during heavy rains, so consider raised beds or containers if drainage is a concern.

Chives make great companions for several plants in your Florida garden. Planting them near carrots helps deter carrot root flies. They also benefit tomatoes by repelling aphids and other pests. Roses thrive when planted near chives, as the chives help to deter black spot. Grapes also benefit from chives, as they deter Japanese beetles.

Avoid planting chives near beans-green and peas. Chives can inhibit the growth of these legumes. Keeping these companions in mind will help you maximize the health and productivity of your Florida garden.