When to Plant Chives in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
Sow August to May. Right now in October you can sow.
Grow Chives in your space
- Planting window
- A perennial clump that grows best in spring and autumn. Divide it every few years in autumn or late winter.
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade. Tolerates more shade than most herbs.
- Water needs
- Regular watering, especially in pots. Tolerates some drought but leaves become tough and...
- Spacing
- 15cm apart, 25cm between rows
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Chives guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
One of the most reliable and forgiving herbs in the Australian garden. Perennial clumping herb with mild onion-flavoured hollow leaves and edible purple pompom flowers. Grows in all 7 Australian zones with minimal fuss. Excellent border plant and companion for roses and fruit trees.
See what grows now in your own postcode
Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | T | - | - | S | S/T | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 18.5°C (optimal range: 10–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like
In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.
How to Grow Chives in Warm Temperate Australia
When to Plant
A perennial clump that grows best in spring and autumn. Divide it every few years in autumn or late winter.
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with compost. Tolerates most soil types.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade. Tolerates more shade than most herbs.
- Spacing
- 15cm apart, 25cm between rows
- Watering
- Regular watering, especially in pots. Tolerates some drought but leaves become tough and hollow when stressed. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Companion plants: Rose, Tomato, Carrot, Apple tree, Grape vine
Avoid planting near: Beans, Peas
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Chives
Recommended Varieties
- Common chives
- Garlic chives
- Fine-leaved chives
Key Challenges
- Goes semi-dormant in winter
- Rust in wet springs
Pro Tips
- Leave flower heads for bees
- Cut back hard in late winter for fresh spring growth
Harvesting Chives
When ready: Harvest when leaves are 15cm+ tall. Use scissors to cut to 2-3cm above soil level.
How to harvest: Cut entire clump to 2-3cm with sharp scissors. Leaves regrow in 2-3 weeks. Do not pick individual leaves. Cutting the whole clump promotes even regrowth.
Common Chives Pests in Warm Temperate Zones
Fungal Spots and Aphids, risk: MODERATE (score: 43/100)Organic prevention (Aphids (Onion aphid)): Good air circulation. Avoid overwatering. Healthy plants resist aphids.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Chives
When do you plant chives in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): all year
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to May, Aug to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
Does chives grow all year round in Sydney?
No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Jan to May, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.