Growing Garlic Chives (Chinese Leeks): A Complete Profile
By Growing Home Greens Team · August 10, 2026
Garlic chives, also called Chinese leeks, are a perennial onion relative with flat, garlic-flavored leaves, easily distinguished from the round, milder leaves of the standard chives already covered on this site.
Getting established
Direct-seed is recommended, sown in spring once the soil has warmed, a quarter inch deep, 4 to 6 seeds every 6 inches, thinned to 2 to 3 plants every 2 to 8 inches. Transplanting also works, started 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost as plug clusters. Germination takes 7 to 14 days at 65-70°F. It’s hardy in zones 4-9.
Harvest before flowering
Harvest individual leaves once plants are established, always before flowering begins, since flavor holds up better before the plant shifts energy into bloom. Cut at ground level, and expect 3 to 4 harvests a year from a mature clump. Leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Divide every few years
Mature clumps should be divided every 3 to 4 years to keep them productive; an undivided clump gets crowded and loses vigor over time.
Garlic chives have no well-established companion pairings, and nothing they need to be kept away from. At 4 plants per square foot, they’re a low-maintenance perennial herb for the Garden Designer, planted once and divided periodically rather than replanted each season.
Source: Chinese Leeks (Garlic Chives): Key Growing Information, Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
Companion planting guide for Garlic Chives (Chinese Leeks) · Find your planting dates
Typically viable in USDA zones 4-9. Not sure your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Mature height: 1-1.5 ft
Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Either works.
When to plant garlic chives (Chinese leeks), by zone
Every zone garlic chives (Chinese leeks) grow in. Pick your zone in the header and it will be highlighted here. Each zone links to its full page.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a & 4b | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 22–May 29 | Aug 10–Aug 17 |
| 5a & 5b | Mar 22–Mar 29 | May 17–May 24 | Aug 5–Aug 12 |
| 6a & 6b | Mar 7–Mar 14 | May 2–May 9 | Jul 21–Jul 28 |
| 7a & 7b | Feb 20–Feb 27 | Apr 17–Apr 24 | Jul 6–Jul 13 |
| 8a & 8b | Feb 4–Feb 11 | Apr 1–Apr 8 | Jun 20–Jun 27 |
| 9a & 9b | Dec 28–Jan 4 | Feb 22–Mar 1 | May 13–May 20 |
Harvest dates are about 80 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
See exact start-indoors, direct-sow, and harvest dates for your zone →
How many Garlic Chives (Chinese Leeks) plants fit per square foot?
Spacing: 4 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.
Varieties worth considering
- Chinese leeks / garlic chives (Allium tuberosum): Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this as having thin, flat leaves with a delicate garlic flavor and attractive flowers, its standard non-organic offering. (source)
- 'Nira' garlic chives (best for: easy harvest): Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this organic strain as upright and full with attractive leaves that are easy to harvest, bred for a tidier growth habit than the straight species above. (source)
Why each variety is listed comes from the source shown next to it. We haven't grown these ourselves yet, so treat this as a research-backed starting point, not a personal endorsement. The buy links are separate from those sources: they go to seed suppliers that sell that exact variety, and we may earn a commission on some of them.
Where to buy garlic chive seeds
Botanical Interests · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (garlic chive seeds)
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing garlic chives (Chinese leeks)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Garlic Chives (Chinese Leeks): A perennial onion relative with flat, garlic-flavored leaves, distinct from the round, mild leaves of standard chives already grown in most herb gardens.
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