herb · direct sow
Chives: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating chives a few times a week needs about 103 plants in ~52 sq ft, worth about $206 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$8.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 26 | ~13 sq ft | ~56 | ~$52 |
| 2 people | 52 | ~26 sq ft | ~112 | ~$104 |
| 4 people | 103 | ~52 sq ft | ~221 | ~$206 |
| 6 people | 154 | ~77 sq ft | ~330 | ~$308 |
Spacing
6" in row · 12" between rows
Sow depth
0.25"
Days to harvest
45 from transplant (60 from seed)
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 1 – Jun 26 | — |
| Zone 4 | Apr 26 – Jun 21 | — |
| Zone 5 | Apr 16 – Jun 11 | — |
| Zone 6 | Apr 6 – Jun 1 | — |
| Zone 7 | Mar 22 – May 17 | — |
| Zone 8 | Mar 11 – May 6 | — |
| Zone 9 | Feb 6 – Apr 3 | — |
| Zone 10 | Jan 17 – Mar 14 | — |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Shear leaves 2 inches above the soil once 6 inches tall; they regrow in weeks. The purple flowers are edible too.
Yield
About 0.25 lbs per plant over ~18 productive weeks (~0.25 lb).
Watch for
Onion thrips · Onion maggot · Downy mildew · White rot, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with tomato, tomato, carrot, beet. Keep away from snap pea, bush bean, pole bean.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
30 kcal · 2.5 g fiber · 58.1 mg vitamin C · 296 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Chives planting questions
How many chives plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 26 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 103 plants, which takes around 52 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does chives need?+
Space plants 6" apart in the row with 12" between rows. Sow 0.25" deep. Direct sow in the bed.
When should I plant chives?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing chives worth it?+
At about $8.00/lb retail and ~0.25 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $206 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.