growing supermarket potted chives

Pretani

I just bought a pot of chives from Tescos and they're pot bound. I'm afraid if I cut them down they'll not regrow in the same pot. Can I seperate them out and repot each bulb? I read on an internet site that you can seperate them out in October for a Winter crop, but had anyone sucessfully seperated them out now?

olly300

When I brought chives 2 years ago I just ripped them into bunches and re-potted them. Then cut them down.

I had trouble growing the ones in a pot but the ones I planted in the garden and have ignored have self-seeded every where.

cjb02

I did the same as Olly. I bought some from Asda. cut em down and had them with salad. Once they were chopped down, planted them in the garden. they have gone bonkers.

I bought three lots last year though and never thought about splitting them before planting in the garden. I will be splitting them this year though and I will never need to buy any more chives.

Dustykitten

I split a pot I brought from Lidl into 4 pots - chopped into 4 with a hand spade and then teased apart. They grew fine. They do better not in full sun when they are in pots.

Pretani

Thanks for the tips. I'll split them up and plant some in pots and some in the garden. Great stuff.

Lucyxx

I wondered about this aswell and almost started a topic on it the other day!

I have a small wooden herb planter and have planted as an experiment, basil and chives that I bought in the supermarket, still in the original clump (didn't think about breaking them up!).

My first lot of basil died almost instantly, and the second lot has been eaten by an unknown creature, but there is definite growth (I used a bamboo cane to help it stay upright as it was quite floppy) . The chives have splayed out everywhere!!!

I have also bought some coriander from the garden centre, but as it's much cheaper to get the supermarket ones, I hope to go with those in future if they manage to survive!

Farway

Basil & coriander are annuals, so you will need to start again next year as thye will not overwinter, but they are easy to grow

powershopper

parsley and thyme grow well, and I planted out a pack of Lidl lettuce earlier in the season, came on a treat under the tomatoes in a gro-bag!

Lucyxx

Farway wrote: »

Basil & coriander are annuals, so you will need to start again next year as thye will not overwinter, but they are easy to grow

oh blast, I didn't think of that :o:o:o I better get on and eat them up then, doh!!

Dustykitten

Let the chives flower and keep the seeds for next year. If they are floppy cut them back - use the cuttings and they will grow back stronger

Farway

Lucyxx wrote: »

oh blast, I didn't think of that :o:o:o I better get on and eat them up then, doh!!

Coriander will set seed easily, you can use in cooking or / and save & sow next year

Hover flies love coriander flower heads, so encouraging a bit of green pest control as well