The Differences Between Yellow Chives and Green Chives and a Detailed Guide to Growing Them

Yellow chives are a vegetable commonly eaten in daily life, with a refreshing, crisp taste and a hint of sweetness. Yellow chives are generally used as a side dish; not only do they look good when paired with other ingredients, but their flavor is also very good. So what is the difference between yellow chives and green chives? How do you grow them?

1. What is the difference between yellow chives and green chives?

Yellow chives are the product of green chives (Allium tuberosum) that have been blanched through softening cultivation and turned yellow. In fact, growing yellow chives is very easy. Sowing and early-stage management are no different from growing green chives, but when producing yellow chives, the green shoots above ground are cut off, and when the new leaves grow to about 15 cm, thick grass mats, shade cloth and the like are used to block out light; after about another 2 weeks of growth, tender yellow chives are obtained.

So the difference between green chives and yellow-white chives lies in whether they receive light——with sufficient light, they grow into green chives with a strong smell and a firmer texture, while without sufficient light, they grow into yellow chives with a milder smell and a tender texture.

2. How do you grow yellow chives?

1. Cultivating the chive roots

Choose the Pingjiu No. 2 variety, which has thick, broad leaves and is heat-tolerant, and sow seeds for seedlings from early March to early April. Before sowing, carry out soil preparation, fertilization, bed making and soil moisture conservation; after sowing, cover with plastic film or straw to help raise temperature and conserve moisture, and seedlings will emerge after 20 days. Generally, 4-5 kg of seed is used per 667 sq m of seedbed, and the ratio of seedbed area to field area is 1:5. After sowing, promptly control weeds and soil-dwelling pests. The time for transplanting to the field is from late June to mid-July, with 3-5 days after the Summer Solstice being best.

Before transplanting, apply 3000 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer, 30 kg of diammonium phosphate and 20 kg of urea per 667 sq m, then plow and prepare the soil. Set out plants at a row spacing of 25-30 cm and a hole spacing of 4 cm, with 2-3 plants per hole.

After transplanting, promptly strengthen field management; after 20-30 days, apply 25-30 kg of urea per 667 sq m. Throughout the entire growing period, also pay attention to weeding and controlling chive maggots.

2. Building the yellow chive pit

Choose a spot for the yellow chive pit that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun and has high, dry terrain. The pit is 4-5 m long, 2.5-3 m wide and 75-80 cm deep, with the sides cut vertically and leveled; each pit should preferably hold the chive roots from 334 sq m of field. After digging the pit, spread a 20 cm thick layer of sandy soil on the bottom to prevent water accumulation and root rot. On top of the pit, place a cement post or wooden post every 50 cm, lay straw on the posts, and on the straw place a heating material made by mixing chopped wheat straw and the like with livestock manure, 20-30 cm thick, to provide heat for the growth of the yellow chives; finally, smooth the pit top with mud. Leave the pit door in the middle or on one side, 50 cm square.

3. Digging up the chive roots

The chive roots are generally dug up from early to mid-November to early December; the exact digging time depends on the market time for the yellow chives. When digging up the chive roots, injure the root system and bulbs as little as possible; after digging, shake off the soil, trim off overly long fibrous roots, and tie every 20-30 plants into a bundle, ready for the pit.

4. Putting them into the pit

Before putting them into the pit, make a mud slurry with 100 kg of finely crushed clay and 200 kg of water, soak the bundled chive roots in the slurry for 1-2 minutes, then take them out and immediately arrange the roots in the pit. Start arranging the roots from the four corners of the pit and work toward the pit door, leaving a walkway. When arranging the roots, the chive roots must be in close contact with the soil, keeping the top level and the bottom firm (www.nczfj.com/), with each bundle pressed tightly against the next. Finally, seal the pit door, insert a thin bamboo pole with the middle joints knocked through into the pit, and use string to lower a thermometer through the thin bamboo pole into the pit to observe temperature changes inside.

5. Managing the inside of the pit

Managing the temperature and humidity inside the pit is the key to success in growing yellow chives. Humidity should be kept such that there are no water droplets on the leaves, to prevent the yellow chives from rotting. The temperature should be controlled at 10-18°C for the first crop, 18-20°C for the second crop, and 20-22°C for the third crop. Throughout the entire growth process, the temperature should remain relatively stable and must not fluctuate up and down; water promptly when there is a shortage, to prevent the yellow chives from being damaged by overheating in the pit.