When to plant chives in New Zealand
Outdoors, chives go in from around 15 July in Blenheim to 19 August in Invercargill.
- Type
- Hardy Copes with cold
- First harvest
- Every year once it’s established
- Spacing
- 20 cm between plants
- In pots
- Yes in a big enough pot
- Two goes in warm places. Where summers are long, there’s a second window later in the year as well as the spring one.
Town by town
24 towns from north to south. Dates move later the further you go from the equator and the higher up. Tap a town for its full calendar.
Sow outdoorsSow under cover (a greenhouse or polytunnel)Months run July to June, so summer reads in one piece.
| TownTown, north to south | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhangareiFrom 17 Jul and 8 FebOutdoors 17 Jul to 14 Oct, and 8 Feb to 22 Apr | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Sow under cover |
| AucklandFrom 23 Jul and 9 FebOutdoors 23 Jul to 14 Oct, and 9 Feb to 18 Apr | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month |
| PapatoetoeFrom 21 Jul and 9 FebOutdoors 21 Jul to 24 Nov, and 9 Feb to 18 Apr | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Sow under cover |
| Manukau CityFrom 26 Jul and 8 FebOutdoors 26 Jul to 13 Oct, and 8 Feb to 13 Apr | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month |
| PapakuraFrom 23 Jul and 8 FebOutdoors 23 Jul to 12 Oct, and 8 Feb to 14 Apr | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month |
| TaurangaFrom 21 Jul and 3 FebOutdoors 21 Jul to 15 Nov, and 3 Feb to 22 Mar | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| HamiltonFrom 20 Jul and 6 FebOutdoors 20 Jul to 24 Nov, and 6 Feb to 16 Mar | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| RotoruaFrom 21 Jul and 2 FebOutdoors 21 Jul to 27 Nov, and 2 Feb to 23 Feb | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| GisborneFrom 23 Jul and 30 JanOutdoors 23 Jul to 8 Oct, and 30 Jan to 16 Mar | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| New PlymouthFrom 26 Jul and 7 FebOutdoors 26 Jul to 11 Oct, and 7 Feb to 14 Mar | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| NapierFrom 18 Jul and 27 JanOutdoors 18 Jul to 11 Nov, and 27 Jan to 2 Mar | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| HastingsFrom 18 Jul and 28 JanOutdoors 18 Jul to 13 Nov, and 28 Jan to 28 Feb | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| WhanganuiFrom 19 Jul and 4 FebOutdoors 19 Jul to 4 Oct, and 4 Feb to 5 Mar | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| Palmerston NorthFrom 21 Jul and 3 FebOutdoors 21 Jul to 2 Dec, and 3 Feb to 27 Feb | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| PoriruaFrom 28 Jul and 7 FebOutdoors 28 Jul to 13 Oct, and 7 Feb to 10 Mar | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| Upper HuttFrom 27 Jul and 7 FebOutdoors 27 Jul to 12 Oct, and 7 Feb to 7 Mar | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| Lower HuttFrom 28 Jul and 7 FebOutdoors 28 Jul to 13 Oct, and 7 Feb to 16 Mar | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| NelsonFrom 30 Jul and 31 JanOutdoors 30 Jul to 14 Nov, and 31 Jan to 16 Feb | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| WellingtonFrom 28 Jul and 7 FebOutdoors 28 Jul to 13 Oct, and 7 Feb to 14 Mar | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow under cover | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| RichmondFrom 28 Jul and 1 FebOutdoors 28 Jul to 16 Nov, and 1 Feb to 17 Feb | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| BlenheimFrom 15 Jul and 2 FebOutdoors 15 Jul to 30 Sep, and 2 Feb to 15 Feb | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month | January: Sow under cover | February: Sow outdoors and under cover | March: Sow under cover | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Sow under cover |
| ChristchurchFrom 13 AugOutdoors 13 Aug to 19 Nov | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| DunedinFrom 18 AugOutdoors 18 Aug to 23 Nov | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
| InvercargillFrom 19 AugOutdoors 19 Aug to 27 Dec | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow outdoors and under cover | January: Sow under cover | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Not this month | June: Not this month |
Don’t see your town? Find it by name or postcode.
Chives in other countries
When to plant other crops in New Zealand
Fruiting
Roots
Leaves
Beans and peas
Onion family
Brassicas
Herbs
Fruit
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Get these dates as reminders
Bia turns this calendar into a nudge when it’s time to sow, plant out and harvest, for your plot wherever you are in New Zealand. Free for 2 months.
App StoreComing soonHow these dates are worked out: climate records for each town (ERA5-Land, 1995 to 2024), its frost dates and its height above sea level turn a seed-packet date into a local one. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information; towns from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). How sowing dates work