Chives are easy to grow but must be refrigerated once cut.
The market for herbs has not yet been fully explored. Chives and other herbs present multiple sales options to a willing market of people curious about herbs. They can be grown for sale in the vegetable department of grocery stores, at farmers markets, as potted plants for consumers to grow, dried and bottled for culinary use or for health product manufacturers. Families often grow chives and other herbs in fields or greenhouses. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Prepare the soil and plant the new plants. Dig the soil to loosen it. Remove and destroy all weeds. Mix a good quantity of weed-free mulch into the soil. Chives should be grown in well-drained soil in a warm location. If growing for sale as potted herbs, plant them in cardboard or plastic containers out in the field or in pots in greenhouses.
2. Familiarize yourself with the pesticides that can be used on chives. The FDA does not allow many pesticides to be used for herbs, so most disease control is done by prevention, although chives do not suffer from many diseases or pests. Weed control and careful sanitation are important. Organic herbs may not come into contact with any type of pesticide.
3. Water and fertilize the chives regularly. They have a deep root system and are heavy feeders. Do not use fertilizer with a high nitrogen content as this may cause the plants to grow too fast, which would negatively impact the flavor. Only organic compost or well-rotted manure can be used if you are growing organic chives. Fresh manure will generate heat and burn the plants
4. Harvest the plants when ready and before they flower. Multiple cuttings can be made from each plant. Bag and refrigerate the leaves immediately, as chives do not keep well once they have been cut. If you are drying them, place them on the drying racks in the sun or a dehydrator and chop small when dry.
5. Dig the cardboard or plastic pots out of the ground and trim off excess roots gently if they are being sold as growing plants. Mist spray with water and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in a refrigerated room or truck. At a farmers market you can sell your chives as growing plants or cut and bag for fresh chives at the time of purchase.
6. Grow new chives from seed in your propagation area every two weeks and transplant them into individual pots when ready. Replace plants in the field as soon as the mature plants have been removed. This will keep the rotation going and will ensure that you always have a supply of market-ready plants.
Tags: cardboard plastic, growing plants, have been, other herbs, when ready