When to plant Chives in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow chives direct from September to April in the cool zone — any time from early spring through mid-autumn, skipping only the depths of winter. This hardy perennial herb shrugs off frost once established, making it one of the most forgiving things you can grow in Canberra or Ballarat. Seed is slow to get moving: expect germination in 14–21 days, with the first proper cut around 80–90 days after sowing. Sow shallow at 5 mm and keep the bed evenly moist for those first three weeks — the fine, grass-like seedlings are easy to lose to a single dry weekend.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

Green months are your sowing window: September to April.

Growing notes

Frost is simply not a problem here. In the coldest cool-zone districts — Ballarat, Orange, the Canberra frost hollows — chives die back to the bulb over winter and reshoot reliably in early spring, often the first green thing moving in the herb bed. That winter dormancy is why the sowing window pauses over July and August: the seed will not germinate in cold soil, so there is no point burying it then.

Timing within the window matters more than it looks. September to November sowings establish through the mild summer and give you cutting-sized clumps by late summer, right on the 80–90 day mark. February to April sowings will germinate but then sit almost still through winter, paying off the following spring — fine, as long as you expect it. Give them full sun to light shade in ordinary well-drained soil, sown 5 mm deep with rows 15–30 cm apart; thin anywhere from 3 cm for a dense cutting row to 20 cm for individual clumps.

The classic failure is weeding out your own crop. For three weeks the seedlings are indistinguishable from grass, so mark the row clearly and hand-weed only what you can identify. Once through their first season, divide clumps every three or four years to keep them vigorous.

Chives at a glance

Companion planting

Grows well with

Basil: Deters aphids from nearby plants

Carrot: Deters carrot fly with strong scent

Lettuce: Deters aphids

Keep away from

Bean (Bush): Alliums inhibit bean growth

Bean (Bush): Alliums inhibit nitrogen-fixing bacteria in bean roots

Common questions

When should I sow chives in cool climates like Canberra?

Sow direct any time from September to April. Spring sowings (September–November) establish fastest and are usually ready to cut in 80–90 days; autumn sowings sit through winter and take off the following spring.

Why haven't my chive seeds come up yet?

Chives are slow — allow 14–21 days for germination, and longer if the soil is still cold. Keep the surface consistently moist the whole time; a dried-out seedbed is the usual cause of failure.

Do chives survive frost and winter in the cool zone?

Yes. Chives are fully hardy and treat frost as a cue to die back to the bulb. Established clumps reshoot in early spring, even in cold districts like Ballarat or Orange.

How far apart should chives be planted?

Sow 5 mm deep in rows 15–30 cm apart, then thin to between 3 and 20 cm — tighter for a dense cutting row, wider if you want distinct clumps to divide later.

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