Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In Germany, chives are grown for fresh shoots as a winter glasshouse crop,
following the breaking of dormancy by heat treatment (see Chapter 4). In
Denmark and in New Zealand they are grown as a field crop for drying or
freeze-drying. In Denmark, seeds are sown in April or May in double rows 5 cm
apart, with 50-65 cm between the twin rows. In the first season not more
than three cuts of leaves are made. The crop is perennial, and in subsequent
seasons six to seven cuts are harvested. Cuts made during the flowering period
of late May and June are discarded, since the flower stalks are tough. Cutting
ceases in September to allow the plants to accumulate reserves for
overwintering. Irrigation is essential to avoid formation of dead and yellow
leaves. Annual yields of about 7.5 t/ha of fresh leaves are taken in Denmark
(Poulsen, 1990).
This crop is popular in China and Japan, and is becoming better known as a
gourmet vegetable elsewhere. Its cultivation is described by Larkcom (1991). It
is grown as a perennial crop for leafy shoots, harvested both green and
blanched, and for its edible flowers. New crops can be raised from seed, and
seedlings are frequently transplanted as clusters of ten or so, spaced 20 cm
apart in rows that are themselves 30-40 cm apart.
In the first season of growth, to encourage deep rooting, irrigation is
applied only if the leaves start to die back with drought. Any flower stalks are
cut and prevented from development in the first season, to encourage the build-
up of the rhizomes. Cutting starts in the second season when the leaves are
about 20 cm long. The number of cuts per year varies from about four in
northern China to eight in the south of the country. After each cut, a liquid feed
with nitrogenous fertilizer is recommended. To produce blanched shoots the
plants are blacked-out following a leaf cutting, using black polythene tunnels
or more traditional materials like clay pots or thatch. To avoid weakening the
plants, no more than one cut of blanched shoots should be taken in succession.
In the spring, before growth starts, the beds should be raked to remove leaf
debris and the soil should be earthed-up round the plants, or applied as a
4-5 cm layer to the beds, to counteract the tendency of the rhizomes to get
nearer the surface with time. In cold regions, winter and early spring growth
can be achieved using greenhouses and polythene tunnels.
The edible flower stalks are cut when 30-40 cm long while the flower buds
are still green. In Japan, early-flowering types with tender flower stalks have
been developed especially for edible flower production. Both the leaves,
particularly when blanched, and the flowers are highly perishable and should
be marketed quickly and kept cool during transport and selling (see Chapter 7).
