Garlic chives also called “BuChu” (부추) are one of the easiest plants to grow. It is not difficult to plant, requires little care, and provides a bountiful harvest. It is perennial herb belonging to the Liliaceae family, and unlike other vegetables, if the seed is sown only once, buds will sprout from the root and continue to grow from the next year. It usually sprouts leaves 3-4 times from spring to autumn, and in summer, a green stem emerges from between the leaves, and small white flowers bloom at the end, and the fruit ripens and bursts by itself.
🛒 You can purchase Korean garlic chive seeds from my Etsy shop.
■ Scientific Name: Allium tuberosum
■ Classification: Amaryllidaceae
■ English Name: Garlic Chives
■ Korean Name: 부추 (BuChu)
■ Origin: Southwestern China
■ Cultivation Condition:
ㅇ It will grow well in full to partial sunlight and should be planted in loamy soil.
ㅇ It should be grown on a perennial bed or in an undisturbed area all year round. This means you need to protect it from lawn mowers, weeds, and fence mowers so it can come back next year.
■ Physiological Characteristics:
ㅇ It is slightly warm in nature and has a sour, spicy, and astringent taste.
ㅇ Odor is a unique sulfur compound, which is a food with a unique flavor.
ㅇ Garlic chives have a tonic effect similar to garlic.
■ Sowing and Planting Seedlings:
ㅇ Gremination Temperature: 59-68˚F / 15-20˚C
ㅇ Seed Depth: ¼ – ½ “/ 0.6 cm – 1.2 cm
ㅇ Seed Spacing: 1- 2 ” / 2.5 cm – 5 cm
ㅇ Plant Spacing: 6 – 8 ” / 15 cm – 20 cm
ㅇ Row Distance: 14 – 20 ” / 36 cm – 50 cm
ㅇ Maturity Days: 50 Days
■ How to Grow:
❍ When sowing seeds directly into the ground or raised bed:
– You can sow directly or start indoors before transplanting.
– Make sure your space gets adequate sunlight and has well drained soil.
– When the land is tilled, make a row. You don’t need a lot of space between them.
– Plants grow to about 1 foot tall and require only 2 inches of space between each plant.
– Sow the seeds ¼ inch deep in the row you made. Place two seeds per inch. This serves as insurance in case one seed fails to germinate.
– Once the seeds have germinated, the seedlings are thinned so that they can only have one plant per 2 inches.
❍ For indoor sowing:
– Sowing indoors is good if you live in a cold climate, so you have enough time to grow and harvest the leeks during a single growing season.
– Start sowing indoors two months before the expected frost.
– Place the seeds in a growing tray filled with soil.
– Place two seeds in each cell on the growth tray and wait for germination. It takes about 14 days.
– Adequate water and warmth are required. After the frost is over, transplant the seedlings into the garden space, leaving 2 inches of space between the plants.
■ Grwoing Tips:
❍ Garlic Chives do not require much care. In fact, they are said to thrive through neglect. If you are too careful, you risk disrupting the harvest.
❍ Weeds must be removed between plants.If there are too many weeds, the plants have to compete for nutrients. This can damage or even kill the plant. You can easily avoid this problem by mulching around the herbs or picking weeds by hand.
❍ Divide the plant every 3 years. To do this, dig up the plant with a sharp shovel. Cut the center of the garlic chive root with a shovel and split it.
❍ Transplant two new split plants. This will rejuvenate the plant and keep it healthy for a longer period of time.
■ Harvest:
❍ Wait until the plants have become established and have started to produce flowers.
❍ Cut the foliage right above the ground level. This will leave enough of the plant remaining for regrowth to occur.
❍ It can be harvested 3-4 times a year.
■ Nutritional Value:
❍ Rich in vitamins A and C.
❍ Most of the carbohydrates contained in garlic chives are monosaccharides of glucose and fructose.
❍ Good for Free radical detoxification and smooth blood circulation
■ Use:
Salad, Side-dishes, Jeon, To Wrap with Korean B.B.Q, Garnish, Soup, Etc.
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