Guest post by Katrina & Clayton
Garlic chives (*Allium tuberosum*), also known as Chinese chives, are a hardy perennial herb that thrives in Scotland’s cool, damp climate. Valued for their mild garlic flavour, edible flowers and pollinator friendly nature, garlic chives are a versatile addition to herb gardens, raised beds, food forests and kitchen courtyards. Planting garlic chives during Winter allows them to establish strong root systems before the growing season begins, resulting in healthier plants and earlier harvests in spring. With minimal maintenance and excellent resilience, garlic chives are ideal for gardeners seeking productive, low effort crops that return year after year.Garlic chives are entirely edible and offer multiple culinary uses.
The leaves are the most commonly used part, providing a mild garlic flavour that works well in salads, soups, omelettes, stir fries and potato dishes. They are best harvested young for tenderness but remain usable throughout the growing season.
The flower buds and flowers are also edible and highly decorative, with a gentle garlic taste. They can be sprinkled over salads, added to savoury baking, or used as edible garnishes.
The young stems can be chopped and used in cooking in much the same way as the leaves. While the roots are technically edible, they are rarely used, as the flavour is milder and harvesting them disrupts the plant’s perennial growth.
Growing Conditions and Soil
Garlic chives grow best in cool temperate climates, making them particularly well suited to Scotland’s weather patterns. They tolerate frost, rain and fluctuating temperatures with ease, remaining dormant through Winter before bursting into growth in early Spring. For best results, garlic chives should be grown in a position that receives full sun to partial shade. While full sun encourages stronger flavour and more abundant flowering, partial shade is acceptable, especially in exposed or coastal areas.
Soil quality plays an important role in healthy growth. Garlic chives prefer moist but well drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Heavy clay soils common in many parts of Scotland can be improved with compost, leaf mould or using Caledonian Green Goodness to enhance drainage and structure. Although garlic chives are adaptable, consistently waterlogged soil should be avoided, as this can cause root rot during the Winter months.
Planting Times
Winter is an excellent time to plant garlic chives in Scotland, particularly when planting established plants, divisions or nursery grown pots. The ideal window for Winter planting is from November through to early March, avoiding periods when the ground is frozen solid. During this dormant period, garlic chives focus energy on root development rather than leaf growth, allowing them to settle in with minimal stress.
Garlic chives can be grown from seed, but Winter planting is most successful when using young plants or divisions. When planting, space clumps approximately 20-30 cm apart to allow for natural spreading over time. Water well after planting, even in winter, to eliminate air pockets and encourage root contact with the soil. Mulching around newly planted chives helps insulate roots and protect them from extreme cold or excessive rainfall.
Pruning & Dividing
Pruning garlic chives is simple, helping to maintain tidy growth and encourage fresh leaves. In Winter, little pruning is required, as the plant naturally dies back or slows growth. Any remaining dead or damaged foliage can be cut back to ground level to prevent disease and improve airflow.
During the growing season, garlic chives benefit from regular harvesting, which effectively acts as pruning. Cutting leaves back to around 2-3 cm above soil level stimulates vigorous regrowth and maintains tender, flavourful foliage. Flower stems can be left in place to support pollinators or cut back after flowering to prevent self seeding and encourage leaf production. Pruning after flowering also helps maintain compact clumps in smaller garden spaces.
Garlic chives are long lived perennials but benefit from division every three to five years to prevent overcrowding and maintain productivity. Winter to early Spring, while plants are dormant, is an ideal time to divide established clumps. Dividing at this time causes minimal disruption and allows plants to re-establish before active growth resumes.
To divide garlic chives, lift the clump carefully with a fork and separate it into smaller sections, each with healthy roots attached. Replant divisions immediately at the same depth as before, spacing them well to allow for expansion. Dividing not only rejuvenates the plants but also provides an easy way to increase your garlic chive supply across different areas of the garden or to share with other gardeners.
Care
Garlic chives are notably low maintenance, making them ideal for Scottish gardens where weather conditions can be unpredictable. Once established, they require little more than occasional watering during extended dry periods and an annual top up of organic matter. Mulching in late Autumn or early Winter helps protect roots from frost, suppress weeds, and retain soil moisture.
In Spring, a light feed with compost or a balanced organic fertiliser supports strong leaf growth. Garlic chives are rarely affected by pests or diseases, thanks to their natural sulphur compounds, which deter many insects. Slugs may occasionally nibble young growth, but established plants usually recover quickly. Good airflow and well drained soil help prevent fungal issues in wetter regions.
Companion Planting
Garlic chives are excellent companion plants and fit beautifully into permaculture and polyculture systems. Their mild garlic scent helps deter aphids, carrot root fly, and other pests, making them valuable allies in vegetable and fruit gardens. They grow particularly well alongside carrots, beetroot, lettuce, brassicas and strawberries, where they provide pest protection without competing heavily for nutrients.
In food forests, garlic chives work well as an understorey plant beneath fruit trees and shrubs. They also attract pollinators when in flower, benefiting nearby crops. Avoid planting garlic chives too close to legumes such as peas and beans, as alliums can sometimes inhibit their growth. Otherwise, they are generally compatible with most garden plants and are especially useful along bed edges and pathways.
Planting garlic chives in Winter is a practical choice for Scottish gardeners. Their ability to withstand cold temperatures, tolerate damp conditions and return reliably year after year makes them a valuable addition to gardens of all sizes. Whether grown in raised beds, containers, food forests or kitchen courtyards, garlic chives provide edible leaves, beautiful flowers and natural pest deterrence with minimal effort.
By planting during the dormant season, improving soil structure and dividing clumps periodically, gardeners can enjoy ongoing harvests from early Spring onwards. Garlic chives embody the best of sustainable gardening in Scotland: resilient, productive and deeply useful both in the garden and the kitchen.
Katrina & Clayton
Katrina & Clayton live with their family in East Ayrshire in Scotland and share their daily life in the garden on instagram @buildingfoodforest_scotland. They practice permaculture principles, reducing & repurposing waste whenever they can. Katrina shows how home educating in nature has helped Clayton thrive.
Clayton Completed The Grow and Learn Course with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society in 2022. This year he will be completing Level 2 Nurture Course. Clayton is 16, Autistic, Non Verbal & has been Home Educated for the last 6yrs. Both Katrina and husband Peter have studied the Permaculture Design Course PDC and PDC Pro over the last 5yrs, developing their garden from grass to an ongoing food forest.
They have featured on BBC Beechgrove Gardens, Gardeners World Magazine and write for Scotland Grows Magazine. Katrina has a series of children’s story books out following the life of Clayton in the garden. Available at Amazon.
See more and follow Katrina & Clayton at the links below:
