Kitchen Garden: Chives (Allium Schoenoprasum)

According to Wikipedia, Chives are grown for their scapes and leaves, which are used for culinary purposes as a flavoring herb, and provide a somewhat milder onion-like flavor than those of other Allium species. Chives have been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages (fifth until the 15th centuries), although their usage dates back 5000 years. They were sometimes referred to as “rush leeks”.

Most of us are familiar with them either because we’ve seen them on a baked potato or recognize the word on a bag of potato chips, but chives are one of the indispensible herbs to have in a kitchen garden. They’re easy to grow, simple to use, and beautiful to set in a vase on the counter.