Chive clumps
Amaryllidaceae · Purchased nursery plants · compact garden planning guide
| Bed spacing | 8 × 8 in (203.2 × 203.2 mm) |
|---|---|
| Minimum sun used | 4 hours per day |
| Root depth used | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Container volume used | 3 L |
| Spring preparation | -14 to 0 days from your last frost |
| Maturity estimate | 30–60 days from planting the seedling |
Square bed spacing, root-space thresholds, relative spring offsets and seed quantities are selected planning parameters, not universal cultivar rules. Maturity ranges are planning estimates; follow your packet or nursery label.
Before planting
Use established small clumps; four hours is a trial threshold, not a yield promise.
Establish
Plant a nursery clump at its existing soil level and water it in.
Tend and harvest
Check that the clump is rooting; leave new growth before the first cut. Cut a few leaves above the base and allow regrowth between cuts.
Plans using this crop
4×8 herb kitchen bed
Separate kitchen-herb zones with purchased compact seedlings and clumps.
2×8 narrow planting strip
A two-foot-wide strip with every planting position close to a long edge.
Three 20 L leafy containers
One leafy crop per pot with a 60 L total mix requirement.
Four 25 L kitchen containers
Four useful kitchen crops in individual containers and a 100 L mix order.
Six 8 L herb pots
Six small pots for compact parsley plants and chive clumps.
References
- UMN Extension: Growing herbs
Herb spacing depends on mature size. Our spacing and partial-sun thresholds are compact-cultivar planning choices; full sun is preferable.
- UMD Extension: Growing vegetables in containers and salad tables
Sun exposure, drainage, growing media and crop-specific minimum volumes; our thresholds are conservative planning settings.
- UMN Extension: Planting the vegetable garden
Cool and warm season establishment; weather and soil readiness matter. Minnesota month dates are not used as global dates.
- UMN Extension: Planting for fall harvest
Maturity is a cultivar-dependent estimate; our extra 14-day fall buffer is an explicit planning assumption.
Updated 2026-10-04. We have not field-tested the plan in your climate.