Description

A tasty perennial that combines the flavor of garlic and onions. Lovely white flowers in late summer.

Planting Instructions

Herbs are easily grown indoors or outdoors. Repeat seeding during the year is useful to ensure a constant supply. Most herbs prefer a sunny and not to wet location. Try to locate plants where they will get 5 hours of direct sunlight each day. Herbs usually grow well in almost any soil but tend to thrive in light sandy soil that has been enriched with peat moss or leaf mold and a moderate amount of fertilizer. Cover seed slightly with soil. Keep soil moist until all seeds sprout. Seed germinates best at 18-23 C (68 – 75 F) usually in 7-14 days. Garden spacing 1 m (3 ft) apart.

Companion Plant with:

Oregano, Thyme, Carrot, Tomato, Grape Vine and Rose. Also, other mound-forming herbs.

Recipe

Garlic-Chive Blossom Vinegar

  • When most people think of garlic-chives, they think of the part that is most often used: long, slender green leaves with a garlic/onion taste. But once a year these chive plants give us a second edible harvest when they bloom.
  • Many of the common culinary herbs have edible blossoms, but the chive blossoms are not only edible, they make a great herb vinegar.
  • Making the vinegar is easy. Just lightly pack the blossoms in a sterilized jar. Cover with a good white wine vinegar, and let sit in the sun for 1-2 weeks.
  • The longer it steeps, the deeper the color and stronger the flavor.
  • When finished, strain out the blossoms and decant into another container. If the garlic-chive blossom taste is too strong you can dilute it with more vinegar. This vinegar works well for potato salad, or drizzled over warm potatoes. Of course it is nice with other salads as well. Anywhere you would like a little garlic-chive flavor along with the vinegar. Store finished vinegar in the refrigerator.