What are the health benefits of chives?
Chives are extremely rich in flavonoid antioxidants, which contribute to most of the benefits. These antioxidants help fight cancer, improve heart health, and can even fight inflammation. They also detoxify the body and boost skin health. And the fiber in them can help ease the digestive process.
How is chives used in medicine?
Chive is an herb. The parts that grow above the ground are used to make medicine. People take chive to expel parasitic worms and to reduce the risk of cancer.
How do you grow and take care of chives?
Chives grow best when watered frequently, as long as there is proper soil drainage. Spacing: Chives grow about 12 inches tall and spread about 12 inches across. When planting chives near each other, keep the bulbs at least six inches apart. Every three or four years, divide the bulbs, so that they keep proliferating.
Does chive raise blood pressure?
One of the most important organic compounds found in chives is allicin, which has recently been linked to reduced levels of LDL or bad cholesterol in the body and improved heart health. Allicin is also connected to lowering blood pressure.
Can I eat chives raw?
Their pungent flavor is best enjoyed when chives are taken straight from the garden. The most common way to eat chives is to chop them into small ringlets and sprinkle them on cooked food as a garnish. However, chives can be enjoyed raw or cooked in larger quantities.
How do you make chive tea?
To control downy and powdery mildew, make a chive tea by boiling freshly chopped chive leaves in water. Cool the tea and spray on flower and vegetable plants susceptible to mildew infestations.
Is chives bad for health?
While adding a Tablespoon of chives to your food is healthy, and while larger quantities may be okay sometimes, too many chives in your diet could cause stomach pain and indigestion.
Does chives cause gas?
However, it contains fructans, which can cause bloating. Cooking garlic can reduce these effects. Or, flavor food with other spices and herbs like parsley, chives, thyme or basil. Other veggies with strong flavors that can cause bloating include shallots, leeks (the white bottom) and scallions (the white part).
Do chives like full sun?
Chives thrive in full sun and well drained soil rich in organic matter. Have your soil tested. A pH range of 6.0-7.0 is best. They tolerate light shade, but six to eight hours of direct light is best.
How do I make my chives thicker?
To make sure chives grow thicker, select organically rich, well-draining soils. Grow the herb in sandy-loam soils. These soils do not retain much water in the root section and are well-draining. Loam soils are a mixture of sand, clay, and silt.
Do chives attract bugs?
Chives Attract Beneficial Insects One reason that chives make such a good companion plant is that the blossoms attract pollinators and other good for the garden insects like bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps.
Can I eat chive flowers?
This pretty, light purple, edible flower has a light onion flavor. Chive blossoms can be tossed in a salad or, more commonly, used to garnish a dish. Chinese chives (or garlic chives) produce edible white flowers with a garlic flavor that is stronger than the leaf itself.
What are chives and how are they used?
She writes about gardening and lives in Italy. Chives ( Allium schoenoprasum) is an easy-to-grow, grass-like perennial herb in the same family as onion and garlic. It has a mild onion flavor that tastes great in salads or as a soup garnish.
How to grow chives?
How to Grow Chives Botanical Name Allium schoenoprasum Sun Exposure Full sun, light shade Soil Type Loamy, sandy Soil pH Slightly acidic to neutral Bloom Time Early summer
What is the botanical name for chives?
Growing Chives Botanical Name Allium schoenoprasum, A. tuberosum Bloom Time Summer Flower Color Pink, Purple, Red, White Hardiness Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Special Features Attracts Butterflies
How do you take care of chives in Arizona?
Moisten the soil thoroughly when watering. Chives’ small bulbs grow near the soil surface, so use mulch to conserve moisture and keep the weeds down. For good production, top-dress with a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer in late spring or early summer if your soil is not already nutrient-rich.