When to plant chives in Seattle and Tacoma, WA

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

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Seattle and Tacoma's typical last spring frost is March 2. In the west-side valleys, the soil is usually ready for chives around 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.

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 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.

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 Seattle and Tacoma, WA?

Typically March 2. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 23. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Is it too late to plant chives in Seattle and Tacoma?

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 Seattle and Tacoma?

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.