Red Carpet Chives
Red Carpet Chives is an open-pollinated allium. Germination takes 14-21 days and fruit ripens from about day 75-90. Skin runs to rose-red to deep pink flowers, green foliage. Water need is moderate, drought tolerant once established. Suits zones 4-8. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Direct seed in spring or fall, or start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Can be grown from division of existing clumps.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- Moderate, drought tolerant once established
- Soil
- Well-drained soil, tolerates various soil types
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 8-12 inches
- Height
- 12-18 inches
- Season
- Cool season perennial
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Rose-red to deep pink flowers, green foliage
- Size
- Individual flowers 1/2 inch, in rounded clusters
- Shape
- Dense clumping grass-like foliage with round flower heads
- Flavour
- Mild onion flavor in leaves, flowers have delicate onion taste
In the kitchen
Fresh leaves for garnishing, salads, soups, egg dishes. Flowers for salads and garnishes.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Occasionally aphids, generally pest-free
- Diseases
- Crown rot in poorly drained soils
- Resistance
- Very disease resistant, rarely troubled by pests or diseases
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | August – September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | August – September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | June – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | April – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 30
- Protein (g)
- 3.27
- Fat (g)
- 0.73
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 4.35
- Fibre (g)
- 2.5
- Sugars (g)
- 1.85
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 218
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 58.1
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.21
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 213
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.138
- Folate (µg)
- 105
- Calcium (mg)
- 92
- Iron (mg)
- 1.6
- Magnesium (mg)
- 42
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 58
- Potassium (mg)
- 296
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.56
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.9
Where to buy seed and equipment
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Red Carpet Chives?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other alliums with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Red Carpet Chives suits these too.
- King Richard 75 days
- Common Chives 75 days
- Garlic Chives 80 days
- Japanese Bunching Onions 65 days
- Evergreen Hardy White 65 days
- Red Baron Shallots 90 days