Sow chives in a pot: this is how you can care for them in your home

Allium schoenoprasum, or simply chives, can be found in most kitchen gardens of self-sufficient and hobby gardeners. As a popular herb, it is easy to grow and has a high yield. But even those who do not have their own garden or balcony do not necessarily have to do without the popular natural flavoring. We explain how to sow chives in the pot and grow them on the proverbial window sill in the kitchen.

Location requirements

Regardless of the decision to grow outdoors or at home, it is worth it First, a look at the general site conditions under which the popular leek plant is optimal thrives:

• Sunny to partially shaded location
• In full sun locations with protection from intense summer sun
• Comparatively high water requirement
• Soil with high water storage capacity, but at the same time very good drainability due to high susceptibility to root rot due to waterlogging
• High nutrient content in the soil, as it is a fast-growing plant with high requirements
• The ideal soil composition is therefore proportionally humus and sandy components to increase the water storage capacity with clay-containing components
• Neutral to alkaline pH value in soil and water preferred, strong aversion to acidic environments
• High affinity for lime, so it can be poured with tap water without any problems

Chives in the apartment

The perfect care in closed rooms

Since plants naturally thrive outdoors, cultivating the chives is a good idea Within an apartment, of course, initially poses a difficulty that hobby gardeners know how to deal with got to. But that does not mean the end of growing pots on the windowsill, as a consequence you should do much more this only means that more emphasis is placed on the selection and provision of the most ideal location conditions possible place. Because while individual points are often not ideal in the field, these weaknesses can easily be compensated for by optimal conditions in other areas.

On the window sill at home, on the other hand, there is, so to speak, a completely “artificial” growth environment in which all framework conditions must be specifically created and optimized.

With these tips and examples for the perfect indoor location, however, it is easy to overcome this hurdle on the way to tasty home-grown herbs:

Location

• bright location, for example south-facing windowsill
• to protect against too intense solar radiation, if possible with shading options
• because of mostly constantly high temperatures and the lack of (cooling) wind in living spaces Shade early, as drought, overheating and burning from excessive solar radiation to risk

floor

• Mix the desired soil quality for the plant pot
• approx. 2/4 humus, 1/4 sand, 1/4 loamy components (e.g. Garden soil / topsoil)

Plant pot

• Choose a pot large enough to offer enough nutrients and water reservoirs
• no specific pot shape required for the roots, so it can be adapted to any location
• Provide drainage holes in the bottom of the pot to prevent waterlogging and cover the holes with potsherds or stones to prevent the earth from being rinsed out

ventilation

• Excessive dehydration due to wind in the interior is mostly irrelevant
• Instead, choose a location with ventilation options to avoid excessive waterlogging and permanent moisture on the stems
• for example near windows or balcony doors

sowing

The source of all growth

With regard to sowing and rearing, chives are particularly sociable and undemanding. Just as it is simply sown directly into the ground outdoors at a given time, it can also be sown directly into the intended plant pot indoors. The seeds should be lightly pressed into the soil for permanent constant moisture and thus good germination capacity, or covered with a thin layer of soil. Moving, pricking or other care measures in the course of growth, however, are not necessary. The most important prerequisite for a good development of the chives from sowing to harvest is the guarantee constant environmental conditions and the provision of sufficient light, moisture, nutrients and Ventilation.

Fertilize

No yield without nutrients

While the topics of light, air and moisture are determined by a consciously chosen location, as well as a Regular care of the plant can be well controlled, the nutrient supply, on the other hand, easily enters Background. Because where the dry soil in the plant pot immediately catches the eye, a lack of nutrients is usually only noticeable when the chives have already been damaged.

The fact that the nutrient reservoir in the plant pot is also significantly limited compared to outdoor locations, the qualitative and quantitative nutrient supply of the plant should be targeted Soil improvements To be taken into account:

• Before sowing: working humus soil or compost into the potting soil
• During rearing: regular, moderate application of organic vegetable fertilizer, for example by adding it to the irrigation water
• Lime: when using lime-containing tap water as irrigation water, no additional dose is usually required, if very lime-free water before sowing and once or twice during growth, adding lime through garden lime or similar preparations