{"product_id":"fothergills-chive-seeds","title":"Fothergill's Chive Seeds","description":"\u003ch4\u003e\u003cb\u003eDetails:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/b\u003e Allium schoenoprasum, a premium, highly reliable selection within the culinary herb family.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePlant Class:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardy Perennial, forming a permanent, expanding rootstock that returns with increased vigor, thickness, and flavour every single spring.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMild Delicate Onion Flavour:\u003c\/b\u003e Yields slender, hollow, grass-like green stems packed with a clean, refreshing, and mild onion taste. They make an irresistible, gourmet raw garnish when snipped over baked potatoes, creamy soups, omelettes, and fresh summer salads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBeautiful Edible Blossoms:\u003c\/b\u003e Left to mature in mid-summer, the plants produce highly ornamental, globe-shaped pale purple flower heads. These blossoms are completely edible, adding a delightful mild onion crunch and a pop of colour when tossed into salads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePowerful Companion Plant:\u003c\/b\u003e Highly celebrated as a natural protector in the vegetable plot; the distinct, pungent essential oils emitted by its foliage help to confuse and naturally deter destructive pests like Carrot Root Fly, making it an invaluable partner for interplanting alongside carrots, parsnips, and celery.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePath Edging Architecture:\u003c\/b\u003e Naturally forms neat, upright, and non-invasive architectural tufts reaching a mature height of roughly 30cm (12in). Its tidy, uniform growth habit makes it a brilliant choice for defining cottage garden paths, border fronts, and mixed herb containers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePollinator Magnet:\u003c\/b\u003e The nectar-rich purple summer flower globes act as a premier fuel station for beneficial insects, drawing honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies into your garden.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cb\u003eCare Instructions:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSowing Position:\u003c\/b\u003e Start seeds indoors from March to May for an early start, sowing thinly into pots or module trays of moist seed compost and covering with a fine 0.5cm layer of compost. Alternatively, sow seeds directly outdoors from April to June into finely raked, well-drained, and weed-free soil. Position in full sun or partial shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePlanting Out \u0026amp; Spacing:\u003c\/b\u003e Once indoor-raised seedlings reach 5–10cm tall, harden them off gradually before planting them out into their final positions in late spring. Plant out in small tufted groups or clumps, spacing each group roughly 20–25cm apart to allow them room to expand.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMoisture \u0026amp; Maintenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Chives are incredibly low-maintenance but prefer a fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Keep the soil or container compost evenly damp, especially during hot, dry summer spells. To keep the foliage tender, crisp, and continuously productive, cut back any tough flower stems after blooming.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHarvesting \u0026amp; Division:\u003c\/b\u003e Use clean kitchen scissors to snip the green stems from the outside of the clump, cutting them down close to the base to stimulate fresh, rapid regrowth. Every 3 to 4 years in autumn or early spring, lift and divide large clumps into smaller sections using a spade, replanting them around the garden to instantly rejuvenate your stock.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Fothergill's","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57674775658879,"sku":"FTG-47270","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0305\/7713\/1659\/files\/Fothergill_s_Chive_Seeds-1.webp?v=1780475847","url":"https:\/\/www.sam-turner.co.uk\/products\/fothergills-chive-seeds","provider":"Sam Turner \u0026 Sons","version":"1.0","type":"link"}