Hi,
I planted the seeds but they are so skinny after a month. Is it normal?
Hi Gardener – Sounds about right to me. Chives are easily grown from seed and take about 2-3 weeks to germinate. It’s best to wait till the leaves are at least 6 inches long before harvesting. This can take 5 or so weeks after germination. It’s been a particularly cold spring this year but this warm weather we’ve had this week should really move the garden along.
Remember that chives are a perennial so your plants are going to be smaller this year than what you see for sale at the garden centre or local green grocer. If you allow some to overwinter, you’ll have stronger, larger plants next year. I’ve been harvesting chives in my garden for over a week now but I am using plants that have been in the ground for several years. You might want to avoid harvesting from some of your plants to allow them to get well established for subsequent years.
I’ve copied below a link to a good article on growing and harvesting chives if you’d like to read more. Enjoy your garden.