Chives Farming In Kenya: The Business Case for Chives

 

Chives, a perennial crop and member of the onion family, have stunning purple blossoms. They are thought to have originated in Siberia, China, or Greece. The scientific name is Allium schoenoprasum.

They are tough, drought-resistant perennials that can reach heights of 10-12 inches (30-50 cm). They grow like grass in clumps from underground bulbs, producing spherical, hollow leaves that are considerably finer than onions. The bulbs are thin and conical, measuring 2-3 cm long and 1 cm wide.

Chives are a popular herb that can be obtained in grocery stores or cultivated in the home garden. The scapes (long hollow leaves) and unopened, immature flower buds are chopped and used to fish, potatoes, soups, and other recipes.

Chives offer insect repellent characteristics due to their sulphur compounds. As a result, they are commonly employed to repel and control pests in gardens. However, their blossoms attract bees, and they are occasionally grown in gardens for this purpose, as well as to improve overall insect life.

Chives also provide a variety of health benefits due to the minerals they contain. They are reported to have medicinal characteristics comparable to garlic, but weaker; their lack of potency in contrast to garlic is most likely the primary reason for their limited use as a medical herb. They also possess modest stimulant, diuretic, and antibacterial effects.
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The uses and health benefits of chives

Chives, a delicate member of the onion family, are a popular ingredient in kitchens around the world due to their delicate yet somewhat sharp flavor. Their slender, hollow green stems are widely utilized both fresh and as ornamental elements. Chives are commonly used as a garnish in the culinary world. Because of their subtle flavor, they lend a delicate onion-like flavor to soups, baked potatoes, salads, scrambled eggs, and dips. In addition to being a common ingredient in omelets and devilled eggs, they make a wonderful addition to herb butters, cream cheese spreads, and salad dressings when mixed together. Chives are also a key ingredient in fines herbes, a French herb blend that includes chervil, parsley, and tarragon.

Chives not only give flavor to recipes, but they also increase nutritional value, which is why they are so important. They include high levels of vitamin A and C, both of which are essential for immune function, vision, and skin health, as well as vitamin K, which is required for bone health and appropriate blood clot formation. Vitamin K is also abundant in these foods. Chives include allicin, an antioxidant associated to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as folate. In addition to having minor antibacterial characteristics that boost the immune system, they have traditionally been utilized to aid digestion.

Varieties

Chives come in two varieties: common chives and garlic chives.

1.Common chives, often called onion chives, are well-known among cooks and gardeners. The blossoms of the common chive resemble spiky tiny purple balls and are delicious.

There are three common types within this variety:
• Fine leaf chives are thinner, smaller, and suitable for fresh use.
• Purly chives have thicker leaves and are more productive. 

• Staro chives are huge and thick-leafed, making them ideal for freezing or drying.

2. Garlic chives often known as Chinese or Oriental chives, are a flat-leafed type with a mild garlicky taste. They are widely accessible as seeds and seedlings. This type has fragrant white blooms that bloom later in the season. These chives sprout faster after harvest and are more productive than regular chives. Furthermore, unlike standard chives, Chinese chives do not suffer from tip die-back following harvesting.

Growing Chives

Chives are a highly adaptable herb with a moderate to strong onion flavor, depending on the growth conditions and type. The delicious flavour of chives, combined with their ease of propagation and growth, make them a popular cooking ingredient and a valuable crop for farmers.

Soil and environmental requirements

Chives grow in well-drained soil high in organic matter and with a pH of 6-7. They are generally tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, with medium loams being the most appropriate. Sandy soils can also be used if organic matter (10-20 tons of manure per acre) is added. Black cotton and other clay soils require sufficient drainage as well as adequate manure to improve soil structure and fertility.

Chives are a hardy crop that can withstand a broad range of temperatures and even go without water for a while without losing quality. As a result, they may be produced in both Kenya's highlands and lowlands without significantly affecting quality.

Propagation

Chives can be produced from seed. Chives are typically germinated at temperatures ranging from 15 to 20°C (60-70°F) and kept wet. They can also be planted beneath a cloche (translucent polythene paper covering the planting area) or germinated inside in cooler areas and then transplanted outside. After at least four weeks, the young shoots should be ready to plant out. However, the resulting plants grow slowly and mature later.

Divided clumps allow for better and easier propagation of chives. Growers will rarely need to use seeds to propagate chive seedlings, unless mature chive plants are unavailable. Simply break apart the roots of a mature clump and use them to plant several others. When planted from separated clumps, chives will establish themselves within 2-3 weeks and thicken with each harvest.

To get planting material, the bulbs should be removed from the foliage, leaving 3.8 - 5 cm of the bulb's base. After harvesting, the bulbs should be replanted as soon as possible; retain them for no more than five to seven days.

Land preparation

Thorough site preparation, including tilling, is required to provide a fine soil texture ideal for chives and to eliminate all existing weeds.

The first digging should be deep, followed by shallow harrowing to create moist, flexible soil. Virgin lands should be ploughed twice down and across the field to a depth of at least 20-25 cm, then harrowed to get a good tilth.

Planting

Form 120 cm broad and 20 cm high beds out of the fine soil produced after harrowing. For continuously cultivated areas, fork and scrape before planting. Chives are best planted in rows 30 cm apart, with each plant 10 cm from the next.

Note: Chives grow best at pH levels ranging from 6.0 to 7.0. varying soil types have varying pH values, hence liming requirements vary. Limestone must be applied at least six weeks before planting in order to be effective. Apply the limestone at the specified rate, working it into the soil to a depth of at least 15 cm. To establish your soil's liming requirements, conduct a soil test.

Fertilization

Chives require an adequate supply of nitrogen to grow properly. Prior to planting, make sure you use a comprehensive pre-plant fertilizer or composted manure. Additional nitrogen applications should be made following the first harvest and annually thereafter.

Over-fertilization can be harmful to chives. Like many herbs, slower, more compact growth results in richer tastes and healthier plants. A soil rich in organic matter should offer adequate nutrients, eliminating the need for inorganic fertilizers. However, if the plant continues to weaken as a result of repetitive harvesting each year, a very light application of a 5-10-5 CAN fertilizer may be required once the plant has been harvested to enhance its vitality.

Always keep in mind that your farm's fertilizer requirements are strongly determined by the kind and nutrient condition of the soil. It is therefore necessary to undertake a soil study in order to provide an accurate advice for fertilizer application. Contact a KALRO office near you for soil analysis and fertilizer suggestions.

Irrigation

In areas with consistent rainfall, irrigation is not required. Where rain is infrequent, water your chives deeply to prevent the soil around the root zone from drying out. To assist preserve soil moisture, use a light mulch of shredded leaves, compost, or grass clippings.

Weed Control

Weeds in a chives farm are best controlled with regular hand cultivation. While weeding, extreme caution should be exercised to avoid harming the crop roots, which might otherwise inhibit plant growth.

Mulches can also be used to control weeds. Herbicides are not recommended for weed management on chives farms. Weed control is especially critical during the first two months of growth, when plants grow slowly and are unable to compete with weeds.

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Insect Pests and Control

    1. Leaf Miner (Liriomyza sp.)

This is the most economically damaging pest to chive. The larvae feed between the leaf surfaces, creating uneven patterns of greenish-white mines on the leaves. This pest is present year-round and attacks plants at all phases of the crop cycle. Serious infestation produces yellowing and then browning of diseased leaves.

    2. Mole crickets (Scapteriscus spp.)

These pests are present all year and attack crops without discrimination. Crickets nibble through the chive's pseudostem, destroying the entire plant. Damage is common in the first two weeks after planting.

    3. Thrips.

These are small insects that may be difficult to detect with the naked eye. Affected crops develop discoloration, malformed tissues, and leaf scarring. Severely diseased plants may appear silvery. The most prevalent thrips that attack chives are onion thrips and western flower thrips.

    4. Onion Maggot.

These bugs cause stunted or wilted chive seedlings. Pulling affected plants may cause them to break at the soil line. The adult is a greyish insect that lays elongate white eggs at the plant's base. The larvae penetrate into the plant's base, causing extensive internal damage. Mature larvae are around 1 cm long and have feeding hooks.

Diseases affecting Chives

    1. Burnt tip.

Technically, this is a physiological problem rather than a sickness caused by a pathogen. It is caused by environmental conditions, specifically a calcium shortage in the soil, which results in parching of the leaf tips. The tip-parching goes downward, giving plants a brown burnt appearance at all phases of growth. Burnt tip is also connected with water stress, particularly when accompanied with low soil fertility.

    2. Damping Off

This disease affects chives from the moment they are planted, particularly among growers who propagate them from seeds. The seeds appear waterlogged, squishy, and decaying. When germinated seedlings become infected, their roots turn grey and water-soaked. Young seedlings wither and die, while mature plants are severely stunted. Fungi cause it, and it is most common in areas with high soil moisture and low temperatures.

    3. Downy mildew.

Pale dots or elongated areas on the leaves, gray-purple fuzzy growth on the leaf surface, pale then yellowing leaves, and collapsing leaf tips. This illness is caused by a fungus, and its emergence is facilitated by chilly temperatures and leaf moisture.

    4. Pink Root.

Characterized by pale pink roots that deepen and turn purple. The roots become translucent and water-soaked, and the plants may appear to be nutrient deficient. Infected seedlings may die. This disease is caused by a fungus that colonizes plants through their root tips and can persist in soil as deep as 45 cm (17.7 in).

Export Requirements For Fruit and Vegetable Farmers

Harvesting

Chives are ready to harvest six to eight weeks after sowing. Always pick early in the morning to avoid exposing plants to heat stress. The leaves should be crisp, clean, and mostly devoid of discoloration. Before harvesting the healthy leaves, remove any that are sick, pest-infected, damaged, or yellow.

Chives are best plucked when the leaves reach a height of six inches. To harvest, use scissors to trim the leaves, leaving 2 inches of plant material. Cut your chive plants on a regular basis to encourage the growth of new bulbs and keep the leaves from getting harsh.

Every year, multiple cuttings can be taken from the same crop. Once gathered, chives can be dried and preserved. However, they taste best when used fresh. A better alternative is to freeze them until later. Simply slice the washed leaves into little pieces and freeze them in plastic containers.

For commercial purposes, the collected material should be weighed and tied into market-specific bunches.

All unhealthy or pest-infested chives should be burnt. Disease-free wastes can be utilized to cover other crops. Chives can also be cultivated as an indoor plant. Simply plant in containers filled with potting soil. To ensure continued growth, water and feed on a regular basis. Make sure the plants get plenty of light.

Post-Harvest Management

Chives are a highly perishable crop, thus they should be harvested and sold within 24 hours. If refrigerated conditions are available, the duration can be extended to 48 hours. Chives can be stored at 0-1°C with 95-100% relative humidity for 7-14 days.

Read finer details in our Chives Farming Guidebook.

What other fruit or vegetable seedlings do you need? Get in touch for orders or inquiry through 0724698357/0723213602.