When to plant chives in Kent, Renton and Auburn, WA

Plant chives in the garden in Kent, Renton and Auburn Mar 15 – May 10, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Jan 18 – Feb 1.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Spacing: 8 to 12 inches apart
Planting depth: ¼ inch deep
Frost: Handles light frost
First harvest: About 60 days after planting

Why these dates

Kent, Renton and Auburn's typical last spring frost is March 20. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop doesn't need to wait for that date. In the west-side valleys, though, the soil usually isn't ready to work until about March 15.

West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.

How to grow chives in Kent, Renton and Auburn

Start seeds indoors Jan 18 – Feb 1 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 Mar 15 – May 10, 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.

Key numbers

60–70°FSoil to sprout
6.0–7.0Soil pH
Every 3–4 yearsDivide
Well below 0°FHardy to

Growing notes

What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.

Getting started

Chives grow easily from seed, but they're slow at first, so many gardeners start seeds indoors or buy a small plant. A friend's clump is even better: a few bulbs dug from an established plant take off right away. Chives like ordinary garden soil with some compost, steady moisture and at least half a day of sun.

They're fully hardy everywhere in the Northwest. The leaves die back in a hard freeze and return early in spring, often the first fresh herb of the year.

Cutting and flowers

Cut leaves near the base rather than snipping the tips; tip-cut leaves turn brown and ragged. After the purple flowers fade in early summer, shear the whole clump to a couple of inches above the soil. It regrows fresh, tender leaves within a few weeks.

Removing spent flowers also stops self-seeding. Common chives seed around a bit, and garlic chives, with their flat leaves and white late-summer flowers, can seed aggressively if left alone.

Keeping chives for winter

Chives lose most of their flavor when dried. Freezing works much better: chop fresh leaves, spread them on a tray to freeze, then store them in a jar or bag in the freezer and use them straight from frozen. A pot of chives on a bright windowsill also gives small cuttings through winter.

Pests are rare, though onion thrips can cause silvery streaks on leaves in hot, dry eastern summers. A spray of water helps.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Kent, Renton and Auburn, WA?

Typically March 20. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by April 8. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Kent.

Is it too late to plant chives in Kent, Renton and Auburn?

The spring planting window runs through May 10. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When should I start chives from seed indoors in Kent, Renton and Auburn?

January 18 to February 1, which is 8 to 6 weeks before the March 15 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Should I let my chives flower?

You can. The flowers are edible and loved by bees. Cut them off once they fade, though, to keep the plant from seeding all over and to get a fresh flush of leaves.

What's the difference between chives and garlic chives?

Common chives have hollow, round leaves, purple spring flowers and a mild onion flavor. Garlic chives have flat leaves, white late-summer flowers and a garlicky taste. Both are hardy perennials grown the same way.

How do I preserve fresh chives?

Freeze them. Chop the leaves, freeze them spread out on a tray, then bag them. Dried chives keep their color but lose most of their flavor.

Also plant in Kent, Renton and Auburn around the same time

Planting dates for chives in nearby areas

Seattle and Tacoma, WA Mar 15 – May 10
Everett, WA Mar 15 – May 10
Olympia, WA Apr 1 – May 27
Bremerton and Port Orchard, WA Mar 15 – May 10
Shelton, WA Mar 30 – May 25
Portland, OR Mar 15 – May 10

Full planting calendar for Kent, Renton and Auburn · Chives in every city