🌿 When to Plant Chives

When should I plant chives?

Plant chives outdoors 6 weeks before last frost. For a head start, start seeds indoors 8 weeks before your area's last frost date. Transplants can go out 4 weeks before last frost.

Is chives frost sensitive?

Chives can tolerate light frost, surviving temperatures as low as 28°F. This makes it a great candidate for early spring or fall planting when other crops can't go out yet.

What temperature does chives need?

Chives grows best between 40°F and 75°F. It can survive down to 28°F, but growth slows significantly below 40°F. It prefers cool weather and may bolt or stop producing if summer heat arrives early.

How long does chives take to grow?

Chives typically takes 30–60 days from transplant (or direct sow) to first harvest.

Should I start chives seeds indoors?

Yes — start chives seeds indoors 8 weeks before your area's last expected frost date. This gives seedlings time to develop strong roots before outdoor conditions are ready.

Is it too cold to plant chives?

It is too cold to plant Chives outdoors when nighttime temperatures are falling below 28°F. While Chives can tolerate temperatures as low as 28°F, growth will be slow until nights consistently exceed 40°F. Use CanIPlant to check your local 7-day forecast and get a real-time answer for your ZIP code.

Is it too hot to plant chives?

Chives starts to struggle when temperatures climb above 75°F. As a cool-season crop, Chives is especially heat-sensitive — high temperatures cause bolting, bitter flavor, or complete crop failure. Avoid planting in the peak of summer and opt for spring or fall instead. CanIPlant checks your local forecast highs to flag this automatically.

Any tips for growing chives?

Perennial. One of the easiest herbs to grow.