Onion Chives Microgreen Seeds
Grow fresh Onion Chives microgreens with a distinctive mild onion flavour and slender green shoots. Onion Chives microgreen seeds produce fine, upright seedlings with the characteristic fresh flavour of common chives. They are an excellent specialty microgreen for garnishes, salads, sandwiches, egg dishes and professional culinary use.
Onion Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are slower growing than many common microgreen crops such as broccoli, radish and mustard, but their distinctive flavour and narrow, grass-like appearance make them particularly valuable for growers looking to diversify their microgreen range.
Chive microgreens can be grown indoors throughout the year in shallow trays using soil, coir or another suitable microgreen growing medium. The seeds do not normally require pre-soaking and are typically harvested approximately three weeks after sowing, depending on temperature, light and growing conditions.
Seedmart Onion Chives Microgreen Seeds are available in packet and bulk quantities for home growers, restaurants and commercial microgreen producers.
Onion Chives Microgreen Seed Details
| Botanical name | Allium schoenoprasum | Common names | Onion Chives, Common Chives, Chives | Plant family | Amaryllidaceae / Allium family | Pre-soak | Not required | Approximate sowing rate | Approximately 40–50 g per 10 × 20 inch tray | Growing medium | Soil, coir or suitable microgreen growing medium | Germination | Approximately 7–14 days | Typical harvest | Approximately 18–24 days | Microgreen colour | Bright to medium green | Flavour | Fresh, mild onion flavour | Availability | Retail packets and bulk quantities |
|---|
Why Grow Onion Chives Microgreens?
- Distinctive mild onion flavour in a small, delicate microgreen.
- Produces attractive, slender green shoots for garnishing and plating.
- Suitable for salads, sandwiches, soups, eggs, potatoes and savoury dishes.
- Popular specialty microgreen for chefs, restaurants and cafés.
- Can be grown indoors throughout the year with adequate light and ventilation.
- No seed pre-soaking normally required.
- Offers a very different flavour and appearance from brassica microgreens.
- Suitable for both home and commercial microgreen growing.
- Available in smaller packets and economical bulk quantities.
- Supplied by an Australian-owned seed company.
How to Grow Onion Chives Microgreens
Onion Chives are a slower-growing microgreen and require more patience than quick crops such as broccoli, radish or mustard. The seeds do not normally require soaking before sowing. For a standard 10 × 20 inch microgreen tray, approximately 40–50 grams of seed provides a useful starting rate. Adjust the quantity according to your growing system, seed lot and preferred crop density.
- Prepare the growing tray.
Fill a shallow microgreen tray with approximately 3–4 cm of moist, fine-textured growing medium. Quality soil, coir or another suitable microgreen mix can be used. Level the surface gently to provide even contact between the seed and growing medium. - Sow the Onion Chives seeds.
Spread the seed evenly over the growing surface. Aim for relatively dense, consistent coverage while avoiding large clumps or heavily overlapping areas. - Mist thoroughly.
Mist the seed and growing medium using a fine spray so the surface is evenly moist without becoming waterlogged. - Cover or stack during early germination.
Place another tray over the seeded tray to help maintain humidity and encourage even establishment. Chive microgreens germinate more slowly than many common microgreen crops, so check the tray regularly rather than relying on a fixed uncovering date. - Maintain even moisture.
Keep the growing medium consistently moist during germination. Avoid standing water or persistently saturated conditions. Chive seeds commonly take approximately 7–14 days to germinate, depending on temperature and other growing conditions. - Introduce the seedlings to light.
Once the seedlings are established and beginning to grow upright, remove the covering tray and expose them to suitable natural or artificial growing light. - Water as the crop develops.
Once the roots are sufficiently established, bottom watering can help keep foliage relatively dry while maintaining moisture in the root zone. Provide good airflow around the growing tray. - Harvest the microgreens.
Onion Chives microgreens are typically ready approximately 18–24 days after sowing. Harvest time varies according to temperature, light and the size preferred by the grower. Cut the green shoots cleanly just above the growing medium using clean scissors or a suitable harvesting knife.
What Do Onion Chives Microgreens Taste Like?
Onion Chives microgreens have a fresh, recognisable onion flavour with a mild herbaceous character. They provide the flavour associated with mature chives in a young, tender microgreen that can be used as both an ingredient and garnish.
Their flavour is generally more savoury and onion-like than broccoli, pea or sunflower microgreens, while being less pungent than mature onions. This makes chive microgreens particularly useful for dishes where a fresh onion note is wanted without overpowering the other ingredients.
The slender green shoots also provide visual height and fine texture, making Onion Chives particularly attractive for restaurant plating and culinary garnishes.
How to Use Onion Chives Microgreens
Onion Chives microgreens are highly versatile and can be used wherever a fresh, mild onion flavour complements the dish. Their fine upright shoots are especially useful as an edible garnish.
- Add to salads and mixed microgreen blends.
- Use as a fresh garnish for soups and savoury dishes.
- Pair with scrambled eggs, omelettes and other egg dishes.
- Use with potatoes, baked potatoes and potato salads.
- Add to sandwiches, wraps and savoury rolls.
- Use with cream cheese, dips and savoury spreads.
- Add a fresh onion note to seafood and vegetable dishes.
- Use for fine restaurant and café garnishing.
For the best appearance and fresh flavour, Onion Chives microgreens are generally added near the end of food preparation rather than subjected to prolonged cooking.
Onion Chives vs Garlic Chives Microgreens
Onion Chives and Garlic Chives are related but different species. Both can be grown as specialty microgreens, but their flavour and growth characteristics differ.
| Feature | Onion Chives | Garlic Chives |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Allium schoenoprasum | Allium tuberosum |
| Primary flavour | Mild onion | Mild garlic and onion |
| Leaf form when mature | Fine, hollow and tubular | Broader and flatter |
| Culinary character | Fresh onion flavour | Garlic-chive flavour |
Looking for a garlic-flavoured alternative? View our Garlic Chives Seeds.
Onion Chives Microgreens vs Broccoli Microgreens
Onion Chives and broccoli both make useful microgreens, but they provide very different flavours, textures and crop times.
| Feature | Onion Chives Microgreens | Broccoli Microgreens |
|---|---|---|
| Typical harvest | Approximately 18–24 days | Approximately 8–14 days |
| Flavour | Fresh, mild onion | Mild brassica with subtle pepperiness |
| Appearance | Fine, narrow upright shoots | Tender stems with broad green seed leaves |
| Best suited to | Specialty microgreens, garnishes and culinary use | Everyday home and commercial microgreen production |
Looking for a faster-growing microgreen? View our Broccoli Microgreen Seeds for a mild brassica microgreen with a shorter crop cycle.
Onion Chives Seeds for Commercial Microgreen Growers
Onion Chives can be a valuable specialty crop for commercial microgreen growers supplying restaurants, cafés, caterers and fresh produce customers. Their recognisable onion flavour and distinctive slender appearance make them different from the broad-leaved brassica microgreens commonly found in mixed trays.
Because chives have a longer production cycle than crops such as broccoli, radish and mustard, commercial growers should allow additional bench or rack time when planning production schedules.
Growers producing Onion Chives commercially may wish to trial different sowing densities and harvest stages to determine the best combination of yield, stem thickness, flavour and presentation for their market.
Seedmart supplies Onion Chives Microgreen Seeds in a range of quantities suitable for trial crops, regular production and larger commercial requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Onion Chives microgreens?
Onion Chives microgreens are young seedlings of Allium schoenoprasum, the familiar culinary herb commonly called chives or common chives. They are harvested while young and used for their slender green appearance and mild onion flavour.
How long do Onion Chives microgreens take to grow?
Onion Chives are a comparatively slow-growing microgreen. Harvest is commonly around 18–24 days after sowing, although crop time varies according to temperature, light, moisture and preferred harvest size.
How long do Onion Chives seeds take to germinate?
Chive seeds commonly require approximately 7–14 days to germinate when grown as microgreens. They are considerably slower to establish than many brassica microgreens.
Do Onion Chives microgreen seeds need to be soaked?
No. Onion Chives seeds do not normally require pre-soaking before sowing.
How many Onion Chives seeds should I sow in a 10 × 20 tray?
Approximately 40–50 grams of Onion Chives seed per standard 10 × 20 inch microgreen tray provides a useful starting range. Seed size and growing systems vary, so commercial growers can adjust sowing density after trialling the crop.
What growing medium is best for Onion Chives microgreens?
Chive microgreens can be grown in a quality soil mix, coir or another suitable microgreen growing medium that provides consistent moisture while still allowing adequate drainage and airflow.
Can Onion Chives microgreens be grown indoors?
Yes. Onion Chives microgreens can be grown indoors throughout the year where suitable temperature, light, moisture and ventilation can be provided.
Do Onion Chives microgreens need light?
Light is important once the seedlings have established. After the initial covered germination stage, expose the developing shoots to suitable natural or artificial growing light to encourage healthy green growth.
What do Onion Chives microgreens taste like?
Onion Chives microgreens have a fresh, mild onion flavour similar to mature chives. They are particularly useful where a savoury onion flavour is wanted without the intensity of mature onion.
What can I use Onion Chives microgreens for?
They can be used as a garnish or ingredient in salads, sandwiches, egg dishes, soups, potatoes, seafood, dips, savoury spreads and many other dishes where a fresh onion flavour complements the ingredients.
Are Onion Chives and Garlic Chives the same?
No. Onion Chives are Allium schoenoprasum, while Garlic Chives are Allium tuberosum. Onion Chives have a predominantly mild onion flavour and mature tubular leaves, while Garlic Chives develop flatter leaves and a more noticeably garlic-like flavour.
Are Onion Chives microgreens suitable for commercial growers?
Yes. Their flavour, fine texture and attractive upright shoots make Onion Chives particularly useful as a specialty microgreen for restaurants, cafés, caterers and growers supplying premium culinary greens.
Are Onion Chives microgreens easy to grow?
They require more patience than fast-growing varieties such as broccoli and radish because germination and crop development are slower. Once growers account for the longer production time, they can be incorporated successfully into home and commercial microgreen systems.
Where can I buy Onion Chives Microgreen Seeds in Australia?
Seedmart supplies Onion Chives Microgreen Seeds in packet and bulk quantities for home gardeners, microgreen growers, restaurants and commercial businesses throughout Australia.
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