Garlic chive,lived in a container outside, can I bring it in

[Green Mantis]

Can I bring my garlic chive plant, that has lived outside the last year, in a box type planter (through our horrible winter's) indoor's? Will it live? and continue to produce small cutting's of chive for cooking??? I will need to bring it in fairly soon. Hopefully someone can help me out on this please????

[Green Mantis]

Marlingardener, I guess I said that the wrong way. I meant as garnishes too. I didn't know they had a bulb that needs downtime in the winter

So is it worth trying to bring it in? Or should I just leave it where it is?

We are supposed to get a colder winter than last year! Now our hydro is going to raised by 50% in Alberta. Yikes!!!!

[Green Mantis]

That's a thought, but it's not a real big garlic chive plant. Do they have many bulbs when they are smaller???

Just don't want to kill it completely. What kind of temperature would it need to be in the house?

Thanks for your help.

[Susan W]

I am thinking chives and garlic chives need some down time. I do live in a slightly different climate, and plan to bring a couple pots of each in, then switch out about Jan with some outside.

FWIW, I divided some garlic chives in the spring, and they took a huge set back.

[silentrunning]

My brother in Michigan has a chive plant next to his house that is over 40 years old. He does nothing to protect it from the snow and yet it comes back bigger each year. They are very hearty.

[RyNJ]

Same here, I've had one growing for more than a decade and it just keeps getting bigger, no dividing necessary.

And Marlingardener, you can use them anywhere you'd use scallions, and you'll end up with a milder onion taste. I add them to practically everything!

[Green Mantis]

I think I will just leave it out, like I did last year. I don't want to fool around with seraring bulbs, or even peeking at it now. I will just put a bit more dirt in there, and some straw over it.

I will transplant it in the spring into a bigger pot, and check for extra bulbs then. Thanks everybody.

[ButterflyGarden]

If they are in a pot why can't you just bring them in?

[Green Mantis]

Well that's what I wondered, but I gather they need some down time? So I'm un-sure now whether to bring it in or not now???