Gourmet Herb Kit (chives)

[Amy185]

So I planted my Gourmet Herb Kit on January 28th, everything is doing quite well, minus parsley, I've only got 2 little guys growing in there, but I think he'll end up doing good later on.  Oh, and the chives, I've got one chive, about 1" long and not growing at all.  Should I call the customer service at AG and ask them to send me out a new one?  Or should I just count it as a loss and move on? 

Other than that I'm very happy with my AG as this is the first time using it, I've already gotten some basil that I have used. I should be using everything else in the upcoming weeks, I'm so excited!!!

[AeroKnipp]

Parsley is a slower grower.

Many people (including me) have had problems with chives. If your chives are not performing, AG Customer Service will replace the pod for you. AG takes awhile to ship, though! In the interim, why not throw half a dozen chives seeds into the pod and you will have a harvest before you get your replacement pod.

[Amy185]

Oh, thanks, that is a GREAT idea and I'm in luck since I happen to have some left over chive seeds from last year.  How many should I put in the pod though, do you think about 8?  or less?  Hmmm I'm going to go do it right now!!  Thanks AeroKnipp for the great thinking!!

[AeroKnipp]

How many should I put in the pod though, do you think about 8?

I would try about half a dozen - but eight would work. Chives will bunch up as you trim the tops to harvest them.

[Amy185]

Okay so its done   Put 6 chive seeds in there, since I re-read your original post and totally missed the first time I read that you said a half dozen!!  I suppose having a 3 and 4 year old running around me all day sometimes makes me do things faster than I should (like reading posts)!!!  So hopefully in a few days I'll start to see some sprouts growing in there.  I didn't even bother calling about the pod since I had extra seeds on hand.  Hopefully this works!!!  Once chives start to grow in the AG, how quickly do they grow? 

[buzz_lightyear]

Parsley and chives were a dud on mine also. I'm due to replant another set of Gourmet Herbs soon so I'll see how it goes. 

[AeroKnipp]

I planted my own chive seeds in two mixed romaine lettuce pods that didn't germinate. (Two out of six romaine pods came up when they should, with a third very late straggler. The romaine that did come up bolted rather quickly, even though the AG was on a cool floor-level shelf. Obviously not a good batch of seed.)

Chives are slow to grow - but they taste so good! I have a pot of chives planted in soil that is doing very well. I don't think they are ideal for AG units.

[bab43]

Following other members' suggestions, I planted some of my own seeds six days ago.  They're sprouting nicely.  Only one of the kit chives is growing.

http://www.aerogardengrowers.com/index.php/topic,3193.msg38273.html#msg38273

[Amy185]

YAY!!!  I have chives starting to sprout already. Probably at least 5 of them are sprouting, so hopefully I'll get a good little bunch of chives now.  Thanks for telling me to plant my own though, I'll have to keep that in mind for next time I get a non spouting seed pod!!

[Jen in Ft Worth]

Give the parsley a chance if you haven't pulled it yet!  Next to basil and company, I found it downright pokey.  It's gotten big and bushy now and I get to harvest quite a bit from it and it's seriously flavorful!!  I had successful chives in my classic, then a dud in my elite.  When I called for the replacement, they let me pick a replacement and sent genovese basil instead... 

[Amy185]

Haven't pulled the parsley, i know they are very slow when they start off!!  Now I have 2 little parsley sprouts though, one is just getting its 2nd or 3rd set of leaves, the other just started about 3 days ago, so it will be a while before I get any use from that one!!  I'm happy that my chive seeds I put in are starting to sprout, I never would have thought of that so I'm glad someone mentioned it to put my own seeds in there!! 

Give the parsley a chance if you haven't pulled it yet!  Next to basil and company, I found it downright pokey.  It's gotten big and bushy now and I get to harvest quite a bit from it and it's seriously flavorful!!  I had successful chives in my classic, then a dud in my elite.  When I called for the replacement, they let me pick a replacement and sent genovese basil instead... 

[kforrest]

Hang in there with the parsley Amy! 

It is very slow to germinate and start but it will take off for you and there are a million ways to use it!

I've got a pod of my own parsley seed that after 3-4 weeks is now starting to really get nice and bushy.  Putting out a few new leaves every couple days.

Good luck!!

[Amy185]

So tonight, after the lights go off, I'll be removing the dome from the chives pod.  I can't believe how many sprouts there are since I just put the seeds in like 6 or 7 days ago!!! 

[bab43]

I did the same thing a few days before you and it looks like I'll have nice chives this time round.  My first herb garden I only had four and this time only one, so I was amazed that all the seeds I planted actually sprouted.  It's such an easy solution but don't know if it would have occurred to me without the forum.