Everyone in the neighborhood grows Chinese chives: they sprout in 3 days and you can harvest a batch in 10 days

Grow Chinese chives on the balcony and harvest a batch in just 10 days

1. Choosing a pot

After all, growing Chinese chives is for eating, so pick as large a pot as possible to plant more. You don't need to buy one specially either; a foam box from home works great, just drill a few holes in the bottom for drainage and airflow.

If you don't have a foam box, an idle shallow plastic basin from home works too, just remember to punch holes for airflow.

2. Preparing the soil

Chinese chives aren't fussy about soil: half garden soil and half leaf mold, loose and airy; add a little decomposed soybean cake fertilizer to the soil as a base fertilizer, with a soil layer about 15-20cm thick.

3. Choosing a Chinese chive variety

Buy some Chinese chive roots at a flower shop or online. Huahua suggests getting the small purple-rooted Chinese chives, which taste better; those tall ones with wide leaves look good but don't taste good.

4. Planting Chinese chives

Bury the roots in the soil with the chive crowns exposed. You can space each plant fairly close, but keep the row spacing at 7-10cm. After planting, water thoroughly and new shoots will grow in 3 days.

Patient gardeners can also try sowing Chinese chive seeds:

1. First soak the seeds in warm water for 10 hours, then sow them. After sowing, water thoroughly and cover with a layer of plastic wrap.

2. About 1 week after sowing they will sprout. After sprouting, give them plenty of sun. When the seedlings grow to over ten centimeters tall, transplant them into a large pot, planting 3-5 per hole.

3. Chinese chives grown from seed in the same year cannot be harvested; let them wither naturally, and by the following spring they will grow abundantly and well.

Chinese chives are the easiest to grow and will fill the pot even with no care

1. Plenty of light

Chinese chives aren't afraid of sun, only of insufficient light. Except for shading needed under 40-degree high-temperature scorching sun, they can take full sun at other times. In 15-35°C weather they need no care at all and grow well through wind, sun and rain.

2. Don't water too often

Chinese chives don't need much water: don't water until the potting soil is dry, and when dry, water thoroughly. Generally, water once a week in high temperatures, and once every 10-15 days after autumn begins; too much water easily causes root rot.

3. Don't fertilize too much

If you added base fertilizer to the soil, you don't need to fertilize before harvesting the first batch of Chinese chives. After harvesting, dig a small hole in the gaps in the soil and bury a few granules of compound fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer. Fertilize once after each batch of Chinese chives is harvested; no fertilizing needed at other times.

Chinese chives like potassium fertilizer. After harvesting, gardeners can sprinkle a little plant ash in the soil and the Chinese chives will grow very sturdy, but not too much.

4. Harvesting Chinese chives

After the Chinese chive roots are planted, they can grow a batch in about 10 days. The first batch grows a bit weaker, so harvest it early; the later growth will be much better and the pot will fill easily.

From the second batch onward, it's best to harvest once every 20-30 days; this is not only better for flavor but also better for the chive root system.

What benefits do Chinese chives have for the body?

1. Rich in nutrients

Chinese chives are rich in B vitamins, protein, and calcium, potassium, phosphorus and carotene; eating more is good for physical and mental health.

2. Moistens the intestines and relieves constipation

Chinese chives contain a large amount of vitamins and crude fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility, treat constipation, and prevent intestinal cancer.

3. Skincare and eye benefits

Chinese chives are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C; eating more can beautify and care for the skin, benefit the eyes and moisten the lungs, and also reduce the chance of catching colds.

4. Promotes blood circulation and dissolves stasis

The sulfur compounds contained in Chinese chives have a certain bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, and also have effects such as dissolving stasis, promoting blood circulation, lowering blood lipids, and detoxifying.

As for the legendary claim of boosting yang and tonifying the kidneys, that really is just a legend~