On Sun, 16 May 2004 14:52:55 -0400, "limey"
wrote:

I'm just growing herbs for the first time. When snipping chives, do I snip
an inch or so at once from the entire growth, or do I clip the individual
chive stem down to the base?

Just happen to have 'Organic Gardening' mag with a long article on
herbs close to hand. "Chives are at their culinary best when their
tubular leaves are young, narrow and tender -- this is *before* the
plant flowers. To harvest those leaves, cut them off in clumps about
half an inch from the ground. (Don't just cut off the tips; what's
left standing will turn brown and become useless.) To rejuvenate a
plant that has flowered and turned tough, cut if all off (even mow it)
close to the ground; it will regrow quickly."