Pruning Chives
When and how — Allium schoenoprasum
Prune your chives in April, May and August — the optimal month is usually May.
You're in the pruning season right now — grab the secateurs.
When to prune?
The herb chives is pruned in April, May and August.
You prune herbs by harvesting them regularly.
With herbs, pruning is the same as harvesting. The more often you pick the tips, the fuller the plant — especially with basil, mint and oregano, weekly tip-pinching produces a far denser bush. Woody herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender) also get one proper annual prune: cut back by a third to half immediately after flowering, but NEVER into old, bare wood — they won't re-shoot from there. Annual herbs (basil, coriander, dill) need no winter prune; you harvest until the first frost. Hardy perennial herbs (parsley, chives, oregano) get a light cut-back in November and a full clearance in February before new growth.
How to prune chives
Chives don't require traditional pruning, but regular cutting keeps the plants productive, tidy, and encourages fresh, tender growth. The main "pruning" periods are April, May, and August, which correspond to key moments in the plant's growth cycle. In April and May, as new shoots emerge strongly, begin harvesting by cutting leaves down to about 2–3 cm above soil level. Use sharp scissors or garden snips and take whole clumps rather than snipping individual blades here and there, which leaves the plant looking ragged. Cutting a section right down stimulates a flush of new growth within a couple of weeks. Rotate which parts of the clump you harvest so the plant never looks bare. Chives flower in late spring and early summer, producing attractive purple or pink pompom blooms that are edible and loved by pollinators. However, once flowering finishes, the foliage can become coarse and the plant's energy goes into seed production rather than leaf growth. In August, cut the entire plant back hard—down to 5 cm or so—to rejuvenate it. This encourages a fresh crop of tender leaves for autumn harvesting and tidies up any yellowing or spent foliage. If you want to prevent self-seeding or keep the leaves at their best, deadhead flowers as they fade. Alternatively, leave a few blooms for the bees and salads. Every three to four years, lift and divide congested clumps in spring to maintain vigour.
Common mistakes
✗ Cutting lavender into old wood
Lavender doesn't re-shoot from old, bare wood. Cut back 5–10 cm into young green growth every year — neglect it for a few seasons and you'll have to replace the plant.
✗ Picking basil leaf by leaf
Don't pull leaves off the stem — cut the entire top with 2–3 leaf pairs. The plant then sends out two new shoots and bushes up.
✗ Letting culinary herbs flower 'for the bees'
A noble goal, but flowering changes the leaf flavour (often bitterer). Compromise: let part of the plant flower and cut the rest back in time.
Combine with feeding
In April you can combine pruning with feeding — efficient, and you only disturb the plant once. Read the full care guide for chives →
