Bunch of common chives with fine hollow stems, shown with a small heap of their seeds

Clumps of common chives in the vegetable garden, upright green stems bearing flower buds

Mauve pom-pom flowers of common chives, visited by a bumblebee, in close-up

Patch of common chives in full flower, a carpet of mauve pompoms as far as the eye can see

Common chive seeds

Name: Common chive seeds
Brand: Kokopelli
Price: 3.9 EUR
Availability: InStock

3,90 €

A perennial forming a tight clump, common chives produce fine, hollow leaves of 15 to 25 cm with a garlicky taste, which you cut with shears from April to November.

The packet contains 1 g of organic, open-pollinated farmers' seed. Sow from March to July; a clump takes up 15 cm, and the plant regrows by itself every spring.

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The summary

What you receive: 1 g of organic, open-pollinated seeds of common chives.
Sowing: in trays in March and April, or in place from April to July.
Germination: 10 to 20 days, in several waves, then transplanting 7 to 8 weeks later.
Space needed: one clump every 15 cm, 15 to 25 cm tall.
How much effort: a snip with scissors whenever you need some.
Lifespan: perennial plant, harvested all year round under cover.

Aromatic perennial forming a clump 15 to 25 cm tall, for a trough, pot or windowsill

Kokopelli Association common chive seeds (Allium schoenoprasum) are organic, open-pollinated seeds, sold in 1 g packets. This perennial forms a clump 15 to 25 cm tall, to be planted every 15 cm in a pot, a tray or an aquaponic system. It is sown from March to July and harvested from April to November.

Common chives belong to the same genus as the onion and garlic. They form clumps of fine, hollow leaves, round in cross-section, 15 to 25 cm long, with a garlicky flavour, which you cut as needed without ever pulling up the plant. A perennial, it dies back in winter outdoors and regrows by itself in spring.

🌱 Sow in trays, transplant in clumps

Sowing is done in March and April, in a tray placed in a very bright, sheltered spot, or directly in place from April to July, in rows spaced 15 cm apart. Emergence is slow and uneven, taking 10 to 20 days depending on the temperature, and the seedlings stay as thin as threads for a long time. Prick them out 7 to 8 weeks after emergence, in small clumps of several seedlings rather than one by one, because chives grow as a clump. Then allow 15 cm in every direction between two clumps, in pots as in beds.

A slotted basket for each clump

To set up your clumps in a water-based system, transplant each root ball into a 5 cm hydroponic growing pot, wedged in place with a few clay pebbles. The roots pass through the slots into the water, and the basket lifts out in one movement on the day you divide the clump. One basket per clump is enough, since chives spread slowly.

💧 In an aquaponic bed

Chives are among the easiest crops for a water-based system. Their nitrogen needs are low, their roots stay short, and they will accept a system that is still young, with no stake or deep bed. Once established, the clump stays in place for several years and you can cut it without moving it, as often as you need it in the kitchen. The guide to 15 plants to grow in aquaponics covers the herbs that share these modest needs.

Under cover, chives can be harvested all year round: the clump does not die back in winter as long as it stays warm and in the light. A system set up in a conservatory, a greenhouse or a bright room will therefore supply you with fresh leaves in December as in June. Indoors, light becomes the limiting factor from November to February, and a grow lamp keeps production going, as explained in the guide to getting started with indoor hydroponics.

On a raft

The clump, transplanted into a basket, floats above the water and is cut on the spot.

In a tub

The plug is wedged between the clay pebbles, at the edge of the tray where it gets in the way least.

In a tower

Its small size allows it to occupy a middle tier, less well lit than the top.

✂️ Cut without uprooting

Outdoors, the harvest runs from April to November. Cut the clump with shears, 3 cm above the ground, rather than pulling on the leaves, which loosens the base. The purple pompom flowers can be eaten in salads, but the stem that carries them toughens: cut the flower stalks at the base if you want tender leaves. After 3 or 4 years, the clump thins out in the centre; divide it in September and replant the offsets. Genovese basil can be grown in the same bed and is also harvested continuously.

Technical specifications

The sachet

Capacity: 1 g of seedsEnough to sow several trays.
Seed origin: Kokopelli associationOrganic seeds, royalty-free.
Seed type: Open-pollinated, non-hybridOpen-pollinated: the seed from your harvest gives the same plant again.
Treatment: NoneNo GMOs, no coating, no chemical treatment.

The plant

Botanical name: Allium schoenoprasumSame genus as onion and garlic.
Cycle: PerennialThe foliage dies back in winter outdoors and returns in spring.
Adult height: 15 to 25 cm
Aspect: Sun to partial shade

Seedling and harvest

Seedlings under cover: March to AprilIn a tray, under bright cover.
Direct seedling: April to JulyIn rows spaced 15 cm apart.
Germination time: 10 to 20 daysIt comes out in waves.
Transplanting: 7 to 8 weeks after emergenceIn small clumps of several seedlings.
Spacing: 15 cm in every direction
Harvest period: April to NovemberAll year round under cover.

To budget for separately

Seedling medium: Fine compost and vermiculite
Container: 1 basket or a 15 cm pot

8 further specifications are available in the detailed view.

In the box

1 paper packet of 1 g of common chive seeds, harvested from organic farming
1 variety label: botanical name, sowing period, and year of seed harvest

Variety sheet from the seed supplier Kokopelli (contents, sowing, harvest, sizes), checked on 11/10/2026; the number of seeds may vary from one batch to another. Temperatures, germination times and storage periods are approximate figures for mainland France.

Manufacturer and product safety

Manufacturer: Association Kokopelli (SIREN 433481124, TVA FR80433481124)
Postal address: 7 route de Sabarat, Forêt de Castagnès, 09290 Le Mas-d'Azil, France
Contact: Formulaire de contact : https://kokopelli-semences.fr/fr/faq/ (aucune adresse e-mail publique) ; téléphone 05 61 67 69 87
Website: kokopelli-semences.fr

Information provided under Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety.

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delivery time

A packet of seeds ships as a small parcel. It can be grouped at no extra cost with the rest of your order, and the exact amount is calculated at checkout.

Frequently asked questions

6 questions

6 key questions

How long does a clump of chives stay productive?

Should chives be sown in a tray or directly where they will grow?

My stems have become hard after flowering, what should I do?

Does chives grow indoors in winter?

How much space should be allowed per clump?

What should you grow chives alongside in the vegetable garden?

Growing calendar

Guidelines for mainland France, to be shifted by about 2 weeks depending on your region.

Stage
Seedlings under cover2 months	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover in March	Seedlings under cover in April	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no
Direct seedling4 months	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling in April	Direct seedling in May	Direct seedling in June	Direct seedling in July	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no	Direct seedling: no
Harvesting with shears8 months	Harvesting with shears: no	Harvesting with shears: no	Harvesting with shears: no	Harvesting with shears in April	Harvesting with shears in May	Harvesting with shears in June	Harvesting with shears in July	Harvesting with shears in August	Harvesting with shears in September	Harvesting with shears in October	Harvesting with shears in November	Harvesting with shears: no
Clump dormancy3 months	Clump dormancy in January	Clump dormancy in February	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy: no	Clump dormancy in December

KeySeedlings under coverDirect seedlingHarvesting with shearsClump dormancy

This month October

Growing guidance

Seedling: In a tray, just coveredIn a bright shelter
Germination time: 10 to 20 daysIt comes out in waves
Transplanting: 7 to 8 weeks after emergenceIn small clumps
Spacing: 15 cmIn every direction, in a container or in open ground
Adult height: 15 to 25 cm
Harvest: April to NovemberAll year round under cover
Cycle: PerennialDies back in winter outdoors, regrows in spring
Aspect: Sun to partial shade
pH in aquaponics: 6.5 to 7.5The usual balance between fish, bacteria and plants
Division: Every 3 to 4 yearsIn September, divisions replanted

What you need to know

Sow several seeds in the same spot and transplant in small clumps: chives grow in tufts, and a single isolated seedling takes longer to form a usable plant.
Never pull on a leaf to harvest it: you loosen the base and the regrowth comes up crooked. A pair of scissors and a clean cut 3 cm above the ground settle the matter.
The first summer remains modest, and this is not a sowing fault. The clump fills out year after year, and it is the second year that gives the most abundant cuttings.
Cut the flower stalks back to the base if you want tender stems. The purple flowers are perfectly good in a salad, but a clump that flowers fully toughens for the rest of the season.
In aquaponics, chives are happy in a system that is still young. Their nitrogen needs are low, their roots stay short, and they need neither a stake nor a deep bed.
Divide the clump every 3 or 4 years, in September. An old plant thins out from the centre, and the divisions replanted around the edge restart with the vigour of a young plant.

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Common chive seeds

The summary