Buzz
Image: Tetiana Kreminska/Getty ImagesI've had houseplants for years, but I never saw myself as an indoor gardener. While I can keep my plants alive, I sometimes push it too far, forgetting to water them until they look nearly dead. My apartment is filled with low-maintenance plants like pothos, money tree, and anthurium (my favorite), which can handle a lot of neglect, so it's not much of an issue. But in my mind, true indoor gardeners not only keep plants alive but help them thrive, and they know how to care for herbs and flowers. I never thought that could be me—until I brought home a chive plant.
Caring for a chive plant has brought me so much joy and boosted my confidence in looking after houseplants. Not only do I get to watch this easygoing plant sprout tall, cheerful leaves quickly, but I also get to harvest those leaves and use them in my cooking. It’s made me feel incredibly resourceful. If you have a sunny spot in your home and want to try growing herbs indoors, I wholeheartedly recommend getting a chive plant.
Caring for an Indoor Chive Plant
If you're like me, you may have thought that growing herbs was an advanced level of houseplant care. However, getting a chive plant can change that perspective since they're surprisingly simple to take care of.
The key to keeping an indoor chive plant healthy is ensuring it gets enough sunlight. Chives require six to eight hours of sunlight, so placing them by a sunny, south-facing window is ideal.
When it comes to watering, chives prefer moist soil, so you should water them when the top layer of soil feels dry. As with most plants, though, be careful not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. Ensure the pot has good drainage and avoid letting the plant sit in excess water.
Why I Adore My Chive Plant
I'll be honest, I hit a bit of a bump when I first started with my chive plant. Although I read that it preferred a south-facing window—which I have in my bedroom—I wanted to try it in my living room to enhance the decor. My living room has north-facing windows, but it gets decent light throughout the day, and several other plants do well there. So, I figured placing the chive plant near the window would be fine. Unfortunately, the healthy leaves soon began drooping and drying out, and I feared the plant was doomed. However, once I moved it to the south-facing windowsill in my bedroom, things quickly turned around.
Though the overall size of the plant shrank due to the lost leaves, the remaining leaves bounced back quickly once they got enough sunlight. With the lighting issue resolved, I’ve been able to focus on keeping the watering schedule consistent. However, I’ll admit that I haven’t been perfect in this area either. There have been times when I let the soil dry out more than I should have, but luckily, the plant is resilient and has stayed healthy even when I’ve gone away for long weekends and forgotten to water it.
Having the chive plant in my collection has inspired me to improve my care for my houseplants overall. Knowing that the chives are not only a houseplant but also a delicious food source has made me a more attentive plant parent—even when I don't really have to be.
I can't overstate the excitement I feel when I’m cooking a recipe that calls for chives and realize I can just go pick them fresh from my windowsill. I also love using chives for simple everyday meals, like upgrading my scrambled eggs or vegetables. Plus, growing up in the Midwest with an endless supply of dairy-based dips, I find great joy in making sour cream and chive dip using chives from—yes, you guessed it—my very own indoor garden.
Owning a chive plant is so easy and rewarding that I encourage anyone with a south-facing window to give it a try. Seriously, even if you don’t consider yourself an indoor gardener, trust me, you can totally do this.
