Do I do anything with my garden chives?

fimonkey

I planted some chives in a small brick built planter in spring and they really took off! Beautiful flowers in summer, and now very tall and green (and flopping over). I rarely eat chives. but would like to cut and preserve these - perhaps to giveas a present to a friend who appreciates home grown/made things.

How do I do this?

Os should I just leave them? will they survive the winter?

Thanks

HappyMJ

They die back over winter and start growing again in the spring.

DaftyDuck

You can preserve them in ice cubes. Get an ice cube tray and lightly fill with chopped chives. Fill remaining space with water, then freeze. You can freeze whole, or dry, but the cube method gives handy portions for later use. Works with many herbs.

madjackslam

When it flowers in the summer, it's a good idea to shear off the flowers before they set seed, otherwise you will have chives everywhere. (I didn't, and I have!)

savemoney

They can spread and every couple of years I repot mine and split some of the chives into another pot to give away

andygb

Chives are great, easy to grow, and if you look after them (not difficult - just look at them really), they taste great in HM potato salad and mash. I would grow them in a 30cm pot, with well drained compost, sand/grit and don't let them get too soggy.