When to plant chives in Brookings and Gold Beach, OR

Plant chives in the garden in Brookings and Gold Beach Apr 1 – May 27, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Feb 4–18.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Brookings and Gold Beach's typical last spring frost is January 31. On the coast, the soil is usually ready for chives around April 1.

Coast. Mild winters but cool, foggy summers. Frost is rarely the problem; warmth is. Pick early, cool-tolerant varieties of tomatoes and squash.

Start seeds indoors Feb 4–18 in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
Plant them in the garden Apr 1 – May 27, 8 to 12 inches apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ inch deep.
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
Harvest: Snip leaves an inch above the soil whenever you need them. The purple flowers are edible too.

Few pests. Clumps get crowded after a few years; dig and divide them in spring.

A tough perennial that comes back every spring. Divide clumps every few years.

When is the last frost in Brookings and Gold Beach, OR?

Typically January 31. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 21. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Brookings.

Is it too late to plant chives in Brookings and Gold Beach?

The spring planting window runs through May 27. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When should I start chives from seed indoors in Brookings and Gold Beach?

February 4 to February 18, which is 8 to 6 weeks before the April 1 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.