If you’ve been growing chives for more than a couple of years, you’ve probably noticed that what started as a tidy little clump has slowly turned into a dense, grassy mound. That’s chives doing exactly what chives do — they spread and multiply, year after year. The good news is that all that growth means you have plenty of material to work with. Dividing chive plants is one of the easiest garden tasks you’ll do all season, and it pays off in a big way.
Dividing your chives keeps them productive, gives you free plants to fill in other spots in your garden, and makes wonderful gifts for fellow gardeners. We do this regularly on our homestead and it’s one of those jobs that takes less than an hour and makes a real difference in the health and output of our herb garden.
Here’s everything you need to know.
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Contents
Why Divide Chives?
Over time, chive clumps become crowded. When too many individual plants are competing for the same nutrients, water, and space, the whole clump starts to underperform. You’ll notice signs like thinner, less vigorous leaves, reduced flower production, or the center of the clump starting to die out while the outer edges keep growing.
Dividing breaks up that crowding and gives each new section room to thrive. It also rejuvenates older clumps that have been in the ground for several years, essentially hitting the reset button on their productivity. And of course, you end up with more plants — which is never a bad thing.
When to Divide Chives
The two best times to divide chives are early spring and early fall.
Early spring is the most popular choice. As soon as you see new green growth emerging from the ground, the plants are ready to be divided. Spring divisions have the whole growing season ahead of them to establish, and you’ll be harvesting from your new plants within just a few weeks.
Early fall works well too, especially if you missed the spring window or want to set up new plants that will hit the ground running the following spring. The cooler temperatures reduce stress on the newly divided plants.
That said, chives are pretty forgiving. They can be divided at other times of year if needed, they just establish a little faster and with less stress during the cooler seasons.
How often should you divide? Every 3 to 4 years is a good general rule for keeping your chive patch healthy and productive. If you notice declining vigor before that point, go ahead and divide sooner.
What You’ll Need
The beauty of dividing chives is that you don’t need much:
- Garden fork or spade for digging
- Your hands (often enough for separating sections!)
- Sharp knife if you need to cut through a very dense clump
- Compost to work into the soil at replanting spots
- Watering can or hose
How to Divide Chives: Step by Step
Step 1: Prepare where the new divisions will go Before you dig anything up, have your new planting spots ready. Chives like a sunny location with well-drained soil. Work a little compost into each spot so your new divisions get a good start. Having the holes ready means you can replant quickly and the roots won’t dry out while you’re scrambling around the yard.
Step 2: Dig up the clump Using your garden fork or spade, dig around the outside of the chive clump, about 4 to 6 inches away from the base. Work the tool underneath and lift the whole clump out of the ground. For established clumps, this takes a bit of effort — the root mass can be surprisingly dense. Don’t be afraid to work around the edges before trying to lever the whole thing up.
Step 3: Shake off the excess soil Once the clump is out of the ground, give it a gentle shake to knock off some of the loose soil. You don’t need to remove all of it — just enough to see what you’re working with.
Step 4: Separate into sections Here’s the satisfying part. Use your hands to gently pull the clump apart into smaller sections. Chive roots are not particularly fragile, so don’t be afraid to work with them. Each new division should have at least 3 to 5 healthy shoots and a good amount of root attached. Sections with more shoots will establish and produce faster.
If the clump is very dense and tightly packed — especially in an older planting — you may need to use a sharp knife to cut through it. That’s perfectly fine. Just cut cleanly rather than hacking at it repeatedly, which causes unnecessary damage.
How many divisions can you get? It depends on the size of your clump, but most established chive plants can be divided into 4 to 8 sections or more. You can make them smaller (just 2 to 3 shoots each) if you want more plants and have the space to grow them out, or keep sections larger if you want plants that will produce more quickly.
Step 5: Replant immediately Get those divisions back in the ground as quickly as possible. Plant each section about 4 inches deep, spacing them at least 6 to 8 inches apart. Press the soil gently around the base of each new plant and water thoroughly.
If you’re dividing chives in containers, the process is the same — gently remove the clump from the pot, divide it, and replant each section in its own container with fresh potting mix.
Step 6: Water well and keep an eye on them Water newly divided chives consistently for the first few weeks while they’re getting established. They don’t need to be kept soggy, but you don’t want the soil drying out completely during this period either. A little extra attention now pays off quickly.
After Dividing: What to Expect
One thing to be aware of: newly divided chives may look a little rough for the first week or two. The leaves might flop or yellow slightly as the plants adjust to being moved. This is completely normal. Be patient — they’ll bounce back quickly, especially in cooler spring or fall weather.
Within 2 to 3 weeks you should see fresh new growth coming in, and within a month your divisions will be well on their way to becoming productive, full clumps.
What to Do With the Original Spot
If you’re dividing a clump primarily to rejuvenate it rather than just to multiply, replant one of your healthiest divisions back in the original spot. Before you do, take the opportunity to refresh the soil — work in some fresh compost and let it sit for a day or two before replanting. Your “renewed” chive patch will thank you.
One of the best things about dividing chives is the abundance it creates. A single established clump can give you half a dozen or more new plants. Pot up the extras and give them to friends, line a garden path with them, tuck them in near roses or tomatoes as companion plants, or grow a few in containers near your kitchen door for easy harvesting.
Chives are one of those plants that get better and better once you start dividing and spreading them around. Give it a try — you’ll wonder why you waited so long.
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