When to plant chives in Prineville, OR

Plant chives in the garden in Prineville May 4 – Jun 29, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Mar 9–23.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Prineville's typical last spring frost is June 1. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop can go in about 4 weeks before that.

High desert and mountains. Central and high eastern Oregon. Frost is possible almost any month. Use row covers, wall-o-water or cloches for warm crops, and choose short-season varieties.

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

Step by step

Start seeds indoors Mar 9–23 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 May 4 – Jun 29, 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.

Varieties that do well here

Common chives
Garlic chives
Staro

Watch out for

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.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Prineville, OR?

Typically June 1. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by June 22. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Prineville.

Is it too late to plant chives in Prineville?

The spring planting window runs through June 29. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When should I start chives from seed indoors in Prineville?

March 9 to March 23, which is 8 to 6 weeks before the May 4 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Also plant in Prineville around the same time

Planting dates for chives in nearby areas

Bend and Redmond, OR May 12 – Jul 7
Klamath Falls, OR May 12 – Jul 7
Burns, OR May 14 – Jul 9
Madras, OR Apr 21 – Jun 16
Lakeview, OR May 7 – Jul 2
Baker City, OR Apr 27 – Jun 22

Full planting calendar for Prineville · Chives in every city