Proper watering is one of the trickiest tasks for any gardener. Not only does each plant species have its own particular needs in terms of frequency and type of water – not every plant may be watered with tap water – but when and how often you need to water also depends on factors such as location, season and weather.
Do you need to water chives in the garden
Basically, you do not have to worry about chives planted in the garden – they will grow happily without much care, provided that the location is right. Only in hot summers, when it remains dry for a long time, you need to water the plant with a watering can. Yellow, withered-looking stalks are a strong indication that it is too dry for your chives – remember, the plant loves moisture. By the way, you can safely use tap water – chives love lime.
Watering potted chives properly
Unlike planted chives, potted chives should be watered regularly. The specific frequency depends on how large the pot is, how much the plant is exposed to the sun and what time of year it is. As a general rule, the more soil plants have, the less they need to be watered. Also, by their very nature, they water much more in the summer than in the winter. Make sure that the potting soil is always kept nice and moist, chives must not dry out. At the same time, however, the plant must not stand too wet, because waterlogging leads to root rot. Therefore, good drainage in the pot and loose soil is essential.
Tips & tricks
Chives harmonize very well, especially together with parsley, basil and other thirsty herbs. When planting, make sure to put only herbs with similar needs together – thyme, rosemary and sage, for example, do not get along with chives at all in this respect, as they are rather drought-loving plants.
