Why can't I grow decent chives??

[francegarden]

I never seem to be able to get chives to grow to a decent size.
Any suggestions?
p.s. just been squashing DISGUSTING lily fly larvae.
Makes me feel sick!

[Tig]

I'm no help with this one FG, they grow like weeds in my garden and thrive best on neglect in rubbish soil

x Tig

[Jasmine]

I've not grown chives for years FG but I keep meaning to.
They are supposed to be easy to grow but if you have long hot summers they are supposed to like a bit of shade.
Have you tried growing them in a pot?
One site I was looking at said to dot them round your garden as they're pretty as well as good to eat and then you can find the best spot for them.

[Jasmine]

Oh yes, neglect and rubbish soil was mentioned just like Tig says!

[Rosefriend]

I always grow my chives in pots and in our temperatures they die back in winter but more often than not come back the next year - I tend only to keep them 2 years though...

They don't need a lot of watering, did that and they rot, and if it is really hot they need to be in the shade, used to have them in full sun and I fried them...just before they rotted with too much water.

So, now I have them in pots on the terrace, they get the morning sun but after midday day more shade from other tubs in front of them and like the parsley I only water when they are dry. I don't feed them much either - I only fed them once last year and if we get long rain periods I bung them under the garden table to avoid the worst...

Seems to work for me...

RF

[carolann]

I grow mine in a pot of just normal garden soil quite gitty, they get the sun in the morning then dappled sun from the fence and I have never fed them either sometime they dont even get watered well with all the rain we have they still keep coming up year after year, they get to 8/9" high and flower for fun for me. They are in a large 10" pot, we are a lot cooler than you FG up here in the hills.