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Simply Stunning Plum Recipes

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Collection of plum recipes

If you are are wondering what you can make with lots of plums from a bumper backyard plum harvest or huge plum haul from the market or farm, the deliciously simple plum recipes I have for you here are the answer.

There are plum recipes galore for :

  1. Plum tarts, flans & pies
  2. Plum cakes
  3. Plum cobblers
  4. Fancy plum desserts
  5. Plum bars for snacks
  6. Plum jam & jelly
  7. And even super simple plum sorbet and ice cream!

So do bookmark or save these stunning plum recipes for later and enjoy!!

Plum Tarts, Flans & Pies

Plum Galette

Plum galette

A galette is the very simplest no fuss way to make a quick a fruit pie. You don't even truly need a full on plum galette recipe to make one. Simply :

  1. Roll out a round of plain pastry.
  2. Smear on a thinnish circle of jam, leaving an inch or so of extra pastry around the edge.
  3. Sprinkle with ground almonds or other nuts if you have any.
  4. Plonk plums on top.
  5. Roughly fold over your extra pastry.
  6. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  7. Bake at 350f/175c for 45 mins.

But if you do want a slightly fancier recipe try this rustic plum galette ...

Almond Plum Tart

French Almond Plum Tart

This beautiful French almond plum tart is much simpler than it looks. It is an easy shortbread crust base, covered in an almond and butter mixture topped with plums and some jam or jelly.

It is a perfect recipe for freshly sliced plums but tastes just as good with roughly cut plums from the freezer.

Easy Plum Tart

French Plum Tart

If you want an even easier recipe try this French plum tart. It is just made from :

  1. Plain pastry crust.
  2. Sprinkling of almond flour or ground almonds.
  3. Cut plums sprinkled with sugar.

Plum Frangipane Tart

Plum Frangipane Tart

This plum frangipane tart recipe is a great choice if you want a real show stopper plum dessert that is as stunning as it is scrumptious!!

But the only tricky bit here is the thin slicing and arranging of the plums. The sweet pastry and almond sponge can be made quickly in a mixer and you could speed things up by just cutting your plums into eights rather than thin slices without losing anything in flavour.

Plum Pie

Plum Pie

There is something so beautiful about a proper old fashioned plum pie with lattice pastry topping and this plum pie recipe is otherwise so wonderfully quick and simple you'll easily have time to gently weave the lattice on top.

Plum Custard Tart

Plum Custard Tart

Plums and real egg custard are a match made in heaven and easily combined in this plum custard tart recipe which is made from :

  1. Sweet pastry crust.
  2. A sprinkling of ground walnuts.
  3. Layer of cut plums.
  4. Cinnamon flavoured custard made eggs & sour cream.

Plum Tarte Tatin

Plum Tarte Tatin

Plum tarte tatin is another of those French desserts that look fancy and complicated but aren't. All you do is :

  1. Caramelise plums in a skillet.
  2. Put a pastry crust over the top.
  3. Pop skillet in the oven for 25 mins.
  4. Carefully flip the tarte once done.
  5. Serve with cream, ice cream etc.

This plum tarte tatin flavours the plums with bay leaves, cinnamon and vanilla whilst this spicy plum tarte tatin makes the tart a bit more fancy with a spiced wine glaze you pour over the plums just after flipping the baked tart ...

Plum tarte tatin

Plum Tartlets

These mini plum tartlets are another super pretty option that would look lovely when you are entertaining but are still very simple to make.

Plum Tartlets

The pastry cups are just filled with a mixture of cream cheese and powdered sugar, topped with sliced plums and baked for 15 minutes.

Plum Cakes

German Plum Cake

German Plum Cake

This super easy traditional German plum cake recipe really, really could not be easier. All you have to do is :

  1. Make a basic sponge base.
  2. Cover it with finely sliced plums.
  3. Sprinkle the plums with a quick classic streusel / crumble mix.

Austrian Plum Loaf

Austrian plum cake

This is an incredibly easy Austrian plum loaf recipe. You add sour cream - or milk - to a basic sponge recipe and then place your plums, cut side up, on top of your cake batter before baking. Simply dust with icing sugar when cooled.

Spiced Plum Custard Cake

Spiced Plum Cake

This spiced plum custard cake recipe is special enough to serve dinner guests but still stress free as it is basically a spicy plum cake with a baked custard topping that you can bake well ahead and serve chilled.

Plum Upside Down Cake

Plum Upside Down Cake

This show stopping plum upside down cake superbly shows off the gorgeously rich colour of the plums but is again a no-fuss recipe option.

You just put your cut plums at the bottom of your cake tin and then cover with a ground almond and sour cream cake batter before baking for an hour.

Plum Cobbler

Plum Cobbler

This super easy plum cobbler recipe is a simple stomach-warming way to use up a load of plums in the freezer. You can give it a little extra punch by adding a splash or two of brandy to the plums.

More Plum Desserts

Plum Clafoutis

Plum Clafoutis

Plum Clafoutis looks lovely and sounds pretty grand but is actually the very easiest of plum desserts - it is just a classic French crustless custard tart.

In this plum clafoutis recipe you do nothing more than :

  1. Chop up your plums and chuck into a tart or pie dish or plate.
  2. Pour over a simple egg custard with a little vanilla and nutmeg.
  3. Bake for roughly half an hour.
  4. Serve slightly cooled and dusted with powdered sugar.

Plum Pavlova

If you do want a grander plum dessert, make a plum pavlova.

Plum pavlova

If your plums are perfectly ripe, stew just a few to make a syrup. Once the syrup is cool, pour over the top of your meringue and cream and then decorate with the rest of your sliced plums.

If you've got slightly under ripe plums, lightly stew them all until soft and then cool before serving on top of your meringue and cream.

For something even grander still, try this plum & saskatoon berry pavlova.

Plum Bars

Shortbread Plum Bars

Shortbread Plum Bars

These lovely shortbread plum bars are perfect for picnics and tea time treats. All you do is :

  1. Make a super quick 10 minute plum jam in a saucepan.
  2. Spread cooled jam over a shortbread base.
  3. Sprinkle additional shortbread crumbles over the jam.
  4. Bake for half an hour or so.

Plum Bars With Oat Topping

Homemade plum bars.

These alternative plum bars with oat topping are a bit crumblier so won't stand up to transport to picnics but are still scrumptious snacks.

Plum Jam & Jelly

Plum Jam

This recipe for plum jam - or plum jelly to US readers - couldn't be easier. You just need plums, lemon and granulated sugar and can be all done in an hour.

The recipe uses over 4 pounds of plums so is a good way to use up lots of plums but you can easily make with 2 pounds of fruit if you have less.

Plum Sorbet & Ice Cream

Plum Sorbet

Plum Sorbet

Rich red scoops of this plum sorbet make a stunning light dessert but the recipe again could not be simpler.

Plum Ice Cream

Plum Ice Cream

This roasted plum ice cream recipe sounds like it will be tricky but isn't.

You just roast, roughly blend and cool the plums before making the ice cream with eggs, sugar and heavy cream in a mixer and then combining the two.

You do need to thoroughly cool the blended plums so it can be easier to make over 2 days.

Plum Ice Cream

This even simpler plum ice cream recipe blends the plums - skipping the roasting - and uses condensed milk with the cream rather than eggs.

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

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A fruit fly on a strawberry

We can get rid of fruit flies easily in the summer with quick DIY fruit fly traps PLUS a few simple practical tips for :

  1. Repelling fruit flies
  2. Storing fruit properly
  3. Keeping on top of food waste.

And in this guide to getting rid of fruit flies I'll show you how to do all of these naturally with basic kitchen supplies and NO toxic chemicals!

For quick action jump to the DIY Fruit Fly Traps but do read the fruit storage tips to stop fruit flies coming back.

These tips are just about fruit flies. For all other flies check out my guide to getting rid of flies naturally.

What Actually Are Fruit Flies?

Fruit flies are tiny (2-4 mm) light-brown Drosophilidae with distinctive red eyes. Critically for us they are drawn to fermenting sugars, ethanol and acetic acid in ripe or decaying fruit.

Fruit flies lay 50-100 eggs a day - 500 in a lifetime - under fruit skin. The eggs hatch in just 12-24 hours. So in barely a day we can have an infestation!!

When Do Fruit Flies Breed?

Optimal temperatures for fruit flies are 25-30°C (77-86°F) so they are typically a problem in high summer.

They can breed between 20-35°C (68-95°F) but more slowly so it is easier to keep them under control. Under 20°C and above 35°C numbers drop right off.

What Fruit Attracts Fruit Flies?

Plate of strawberries with knife

Fruit flies love all sugary fruit that ferment rapidly but are super attracted to fruit with soft skin or skin that damages very easily. They are only attracted to hard skin fruit once cut.

Soft Skinned Fruit

Fruit flies adore the following soft skinned fruits as soon as they are ripe so store these fruit - once ripe - in the fridge and not the fruit bowl :

  1. Peaches
  2. Nectarines
  3. Strawberries
  4. Raspberries
  5. Blueberries
  6. Blackberries
  7. Figs
  8. Persimmons

Guava also have soft skin but can't be stored in the fridge so eat up fast.

Unripe fruit won't ripen in the fridge, so use the fruit storage tips below to keep fruit flies away whilst ripening.

Easily Damaged Fruit

White bowl of cherries on a tablecloth

Sadly, fruit flies also love all of these fruit once their skin is even slightly split or bruised or punctured :

  1. Apples
  2. Bananas
  3. Cherries
  4. Grapes
  5. Mango
  6. Papaya
  7. Pears
  8. Plums
  9. Tomatoes

In the summer fruit fly season it is again best to store most of these fruit - once they are ripe - in the fridge.

However bananas, mango, papaya and pineapple don't keep well in the fridge so in summer buy on the day you'll eat them or flash freeze for smoothies etc.

Hard Skin Fruit

White bowl of lemons.

Drosophilidae fruit fly can't penetrate hard skinned fruit. The Medfly - a different fruit fly - can but it is rarely found in the US (outside Hawaii) or UK.

So these fruit can all be stored in a fruit bowl unless the skin is damaged :

  1. Grapefruit
  2. Lemons
  3. Limes
  4. Oranges
  5. Pineapples
  6. Watermelon

Watch out for the top of big oranges where a hole may be left by the stem and fruit flies can sneak in.

Other Food Fruit Flies Love

Bowl of onions

Other foods that attracts fruit flies are :

  1. Alcohol
  2. Bread
  3. Corn
  4. Cucumbers
  5. Onions
  6. Potatoes
  7. Squash
  8. Zucchini / courgettes
  9. Anything else yeasty or fermenting.

Fruit flies also love rotting food in drains and compost bins and breed in both.

Quick & Easy DIY Fruit Fly Traps

Collage of photos about fruit fly traps

The best quick and easy DIY fruit fly traps draw the fruit flies in with the fragrance of fermenting fruit sugar.

Apple cider vinegar is without doubt the top ingredient to do this but I also have traps here made with other ingredients in case you don't have ACV.

Apple Cider Vinegar Fruit Fly Traps

Effective fruit fly traps mimic the way fruit flies sneak through damaged fruit skin. The two best traps for this are :

  • Bowl & Clingfilm Traps
  • Jar With Lid Traps

Bowl & Clingfilm Trap

Blue and white bowl covered in cling film

This apple cider vinegar fruit fly trap could not be simpler. All you need is :

  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Dish Soap / Washing Up Liquid
  • Very Small Bowl
  • Cling Film
  • Elastic Band (optional)

To quickly make the trap :

  1. Put 2-4 tablespoons of ACV in a small bowl (the smaller the bowl the less you will need).
  2. Add a few drops of dish soap.
  3. Cover bowl with cling film.
  4. Poke tiny holes in the cling film.
  5. You can secure the cling film with an elastic band if you like.

The fruity fermenting smell of the ACV will tempt the fruit flies to squeeze through the tiny holes as they do fruit skin. But the dish soap breaks the surface tension of the ACV so when they land on it they drown.

Jar With Lid Trap

Bottles of apple cider vinegar and dish soap on a white work top with a jar

This second fruit fly trap with apple cider vinegar is just as easy and effective and a good zero waste option.

All you need to make the trap is :

  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Dish Soap / Washing Up Liquid
  • Jar With Lid - the slimmer the jar the less ACV needed.
  • Hammer & Nail

To make the trap :

  1. Punch small holes in the lid using the hammer and nail.
  2. Pour ¼ cup of ACV into jar.
  3. Add a few drops of dish soap.
  4. Put the lid on.
Empty jar, hammer, screw, jar lid with holes punched in it.

You can boost the effectiveness of the trap by adding a small piece of fruit e.g. banana to the ACV. Refresh the traps weekly to keep them working.

Fruit Fly Traps Without Apple Cider Vinegar

If you don't have apple cider vinegar you can make both fruit fly traps with :

  1. Other Vinegars
  2. Fruit Juice
  3. Milk

Fruit Fly Traps With Other Vinegars

Bottle of red wine vinegar on kitchen worktop

Three common vinegars to use in your trap instead of ACV are :

  1. Red wine vinegar
  2. Raspberry vinegar
  3. White wine vinegar

Red wine and raspberry vinegar have the right fruity smell to tempt fruit flies. White wine vinegar won't work on it's own but will with addition of:

  1. Small pieces of fruit
  2. Small pieces of bread
  3. Yeast and sugar.

Balsamic and plain vinegar are unlikely to work even with fruit or yeast added.

Fruit Juice Fly Traps

A small bottle of apple juice with apples

Fresh fruit juice won't have the fermenting alcohol smell of over ripe fruit that fruit flies love BUT we can easily fake it for our fly traps!!

All you need is :

  • ¼ cup of fruit juice, ideally apple
  • Pinch of yeast
  • Teaspoon of sugar
  • Teaspoon of warm water
  • Dish soap.

To make your trap :

  1. Combine 1st 4 ingredients above (not the dish soap) in bowl or jar.
  2. Leave for 15 minutes until the mixture starts bubbling.
  3. Add 1 to 2 drops of dish soap.
  4. Cover with clingfilm or lid.

Alternatively any open juice past it's best for drinking may well work as is.

Milk Fruit Fly Traps

Bottle and glass of milk on kitchen worktop

If you don't have ACV, other vinegars or fruit juice and have a fruit fly problem, you can make a fruit fly trap with milk.

Milk may not be as effective but was a traditional way to trap fruit flies. All you need for a fruit fly trap with milk are :

  • ¼ cup of milk, the older the better
  • Pinch of yeast
  • Teaspoon of sugar
  • Teaspoon of warm water
  • Dish soap.

To make your trap :

  1. Combine all ingredients except dish soap in bowl or jar.
  2. Leave your mixture for 15-30 minutes to start bubbling.
  3. Add 1 to 2 drops of dish soap.
  4. Cover with clingfilm or jar lid.

These DIY fruit fly traps really do work but we still need to store fruit properly.

How To Store Fruit Properly To Stop Fruit Flies

The three key key ways to store fruit properly to stop fruit flies are :

  1. Fruit bowl covers
  2. Flash freezing
  3. Fridge.

These may sound blindingly obvious options but the top tips I have for you here will help make sure they work.

Fruit Bowl Covers

Collage of food covers

We can store unripe soft fruit, undamaged fruit like apples and hard skinned fruit in a fruit bowl but in the summer we must use a food cover.

You can get a variety of food covers - as in the collage above - to keep fruit flies out including :

  1. Fold up tents
  2. Elasticated covers
  3. Traditional bamboo baskets with retractable covers
  4. Collapsable umbrellas
  5. Classic mesh domes.

Whatever you pick, use these rules:

  • Mesh not most fabric e.g. not linen as the fruit needs to breath.
  • Very fine mesh with at most 2mm and ideally smaller holes.
  • Complete coverage with no gaps.

Do shop around. Classic issues are domes and umbrellas that don't sit flat on bowls and tables, elasticated covers leaving gaps and mesh that's too big!

A final option is fine cheese cloth - grade 90 or higher - which you can buy cheaply to cover all sorts of food.

Flash Freezing

Flash frozen pineapple on a baking sheet

Flash freezing is a great method to store ripe fruit you're not ready to eat that can't go in the fridge including :

  1. Bananas
  2. Mango
  3. Papaya
  4. Pineapple.

It allows you to freeze small pieces of fruit separately so they don't all get stuck together in a big blob. You can then use as needed in desserts etc.

All you need for flash freezing is a baking sheet that fits in your freezer :

  1. Remove any inedible part of fruit e.g. skin, core, unwanted seed.
  2. Cut fruit into pieces of a size you will use in desserts or blender.
  3. Spread out on a baking sheet.
  4. Put in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Transfer the frozen pieces into a freezer storage container.

It is as simple as that and really will help keep the fruit flies away.

Storing Fruit Properly In The Fridge

White refrigerator and freezer

Most ripe fruit - excepting bananas, mango, papaya, pineapple, guava - can be stored in the fridge but we need to follow these basic fruit storage rules.

Fridge Storage Rules

  1. Don't wash uncut fruit before storing in fridge unless foraged / just harvested and there are bugs.
  2. Pat damp fruit or fruit that has to be washed dry before storing.
  3. Split fruit types if you can to slow spoiling from ethylene gas.
  4. Most fruit - not berries - keep best in a perforated plastic bag in crisper or bottom fridge drawer.
  5. Good air flow is key, bags & containers need perforation and should not be sealed.

Some fruit lasts months in the fridge, others barely a week. Check below for timings and extra rules for each fruit.

How Long Fruit Lasts In The Fridge

  • Apples & Pears : 1-2 months.
  • Berries : 3-5 days. Store in single layer in breathable container lined with paper towel or cotton napkin to absorb moisture.
  • Citrus Fruit : 2-3 weeks. Keep in mesh bag in crisper or veg drawer.
  • Grapes : 2-3 weeks.
  • Peaches, Plums & Cherries : 1-2 weeks but flavour drops.
  • Tomatoes : 1 week. Avoid coldest parts of the fridge e.g. back wall as can turn texture mealy.
  • Cut Watermelon : 1 week. Keep in airtight container or clingfilm.

Storing Other Food Properly

Potatoes in storage

Other food that attracts fruit flies also needs to be stored properly to prevent horrible fruit fly infestations.

Alcohol and bread are easy to store. Simply put stoppers in open wine bottles and keep bread in a bread bin.

But veggies that release fruit-fly attracting sugars as they soften need more care. Some can go in the fridge, others need a pantry cupboard:

  • Corn : 3-5 days. Keep husks on. Wrap in damp paper towel or cotton napkin in fridge vegetable drawer. Loses sweetness quickly.
  • Cucumbers : 1-2 weeks. Wrap in paper towel, place in a perforated bag in fridges veggie drawer.
  • Onions : 1-2 months. Cool, dry, dark but ventilated spot e.g. mesh bag in pantry. Not fridge.
  • Potatoes : 1-2 months. Cool, dry, dark but ventilated spot e.g. paper bag with holes in pantry. Not fridge. Read these tips for more on the best ways to store potatoes.
  • Squash : 1-2 months. Cool, dry, dark spot e.g. pantry.
  • Zucchini / Courgettes : 1-2 weeks. Wrap in paper towel, place in a perforated bag in fridge’s veggie drawer; max 1-2 weeks.

Keep On Top Of Food Waste

Woman emptying food waste into a kitchen compost crock.

Sadly, food waste attracts fruit flies and a whole bunch of other household pests we don't want including :

Charcoal filters on compost crocks can cut the smell of fermenting food but ideally they need emptying daily.

Do watch out for squidged berries and smears of jellies and jams on worktops, tables and floors as these are a beacon for fruit flies and ants.

Smells Fruit Flies Hate

Growing mint for kids and beginners - the easiest way to propagate and grow mint in containers indoors and outdoors. An awesome plant science experiment for kids. And provides a ready supply of fresh mint for herbal tea, cool mint drinks and all your favourite mint recipes #mint #herb #herbgarden #gardening

You can back up DIY fruit fly traps and fruit storage hacks with the fragrance of natural repellents that fruit flies hate.

The two best fruit fly repellents are :

  • Lemongrass & Citronella : contain strong fast action fragrances that disrupt the fruit flies' senses so they can't find fruit.
  • Mints : again overload sense of smell and disrupt fruit fly behaviour so they stop breeding.

Other natural fragrances that repel many different flies including fruit flies and mosquitoes are :

  1. Basil
  2. Lavender
  3. Rosemary
  4. Eucalyptus
  5. Lemon Balm
  6. Cloves.

You can use essential oils but there are growing concerns they may not be great for us in our homes. Alternatively, you can make DIY infusions from fresh or dry herbs or just grow cut mint in water next to fruit bowls.

Mint cuttings growing in a jar of water

And there you go, everything you need to know about fruit flies covering:

Plus other key ways to stop fruit flies:

I do hope these help. For more tips check out my other natural pest control posts and follow me on Pinterest.

How To Grow Chives As Companion Plants

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Chive flowers in the garden.

Pretty chives are a must grow companion plant amongst your vegetables as they have huge natural health benefits for us and our gardens.

Power houses for all round gut health little chives in the garden can also :

  1. Protect plants from pests
  2. Improve soil quality
  3. Fight bacterial infections
  4. Fight fungal infections
  5. Attract pollinators.

So in this guide I'll show you how to grow chives easily covering :

  1. Chives As Companion Plants
  2. Growing Chives In Pots
  3. Growing Chives Indoors
  4. When To Plant Chives
  5. Caring For Chives Plants
  6. Harvesting Chives

I hope these tips help you enjoy the benefits of this pretty pest control in your garden. Do shout with questions.

Chives As Companion Plants

Chive plants in the garden

Chives have big benefits for flowers, fruit and vegetable gardens if you want to garden more organically and cut down on pesticides & herbicides.

In this section I'll dive down into:

  1. Benefits Of Chives
  2. What To Plant With Chives
  3. What Not To Plant With Chives
  4. Interplanting Chives

Benefits Of Chives

Chives in your garden are able to :

  1. Repel Aphids & Beetles
  2. Repel Mosquitoes
  3. Camouflage Plants From Pests
  4. Control Bacterial Infections
  5. Control Fungal Infections
  6. Attract Pollinators

Repel Aphids & Beetles

The smell of chives repels aphids and beetles from nearby vegetables reducing the need for pesticides.

Underplanting roses with chives help repel green fly that attack new buds.

Repel Mosquitoes

Chives are a natural mosquito repellent that can discourage mosquitoes from your vegetable garden where they can spread disease and from patio areas. Small pots of chives are a pretty addition to patio tables.

Camouflage Plants

The smell of chives can camouflage the fragrance of carrots and so "hides" carrots from pesky carrot flies, again reducing the needs for pesticides.

Recently harvested carrots

Anti-Bacterial & Anti-Fungal

Chives - like garlic - help to protect root vegetables and brassicas from fungal disease by feeding soil with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal nutrients such as sulphur, nitrogen & trace minerals.

These nutrients also protect roses from black spot, cutting the need for chemical soil improvers and treatments.

Attract Pollinators

Pretty chives attract bees and butterflies into your garden to increase pollination of flowering vegetables such as tomatoes and courgettes.

What Grows Well With Chives

Collage of chive flower and rose and lettuce companion plants.

These garden favourites all do well planted with chives nearby.

Chive Friendly Vegetables & Fruit

Ripening tomatoes on vine

Chive Friendly Fruit

  • Strawberries
  • Apple Trees
  • Grapes

Chive Friendly Flowers

  • Roses
  • Marigolds
  • Alyssum
  • Cosmos
  • Calendula
  • Nasturtiums

What Not To Plant With Chives

It is generally advised to keep your chive plants away from :

  • Peas
  • Beans
  • Asparagus

Some people also keep chives away from spinach and brassicas like collards as they may reduce growth. But personally I find the aphid and cabbage white repelling benefits outweigh any downsides.

Collard greens growing in vegetable garden against a wall with garden peas in background.

Interplanting Chives

As they are so small, chives can be easily interplanted amongst other vegetables so you get the full whammy of all the companion plant benefits.

But you can also grow chives in pots as roaming companion plants to help out around the garden as needed.

Growing Chives In Pots & Containers

Chives flowers in garden

Chives will grow well in both :

  • Small 10 cm / 4 inch pots and
  • Bigger 15 to 20 cm / 6 to 8 inch pots with about 20 cm depth.

To plant chives in pots simply :

  1. Sow 2 to 3 seeds in a small 4 inch pot with good drainage.
  2. Multiply up for larger pots.
  3. Seeds are happy growing close together and will have more visual impact planted snugly.
  4. Lightly cover seeds with soil at no more than ¼ inch deep.
  5. Place pots in full sun or light shade. Ideally they need a good 6 hours of direct light daily.
  6. Keep soil moist not soggy.

In subsequent years chives can be easily split if they are overgrowing pots.

Growing Chives Indoors

Chive flower

Chives will grow happily indoors all year round for use in the kitchen. They just need a bright spot like a sunny window so they get plenty of light.

Starting chives indoors in late winter and early spring can give your spring vegetables early protection from aphids and beetles as you can plant out ready grown chives from early April.

Germination temperatures for chive seeds vary. Some seeds germinate happily at 15 degrees (59F) whilst other seeds only germinate at 20-25C/68-77F so need a warm spot to get going.

Remember chives grown indoors will need to be gently acclimatised to outdoor weather over a week to 10 days being brought in at night.

When To Plant Chives

Chive flower

Chives can be sown outdoors in the first weeks following the last frost date (UK) wherever you are living.

Most chive seed varieties will struggle to germinate above 25c/77f so don't hang around too long after last frost to get them sown in case of a hot spring.

But it is worth planting chives indoors in February or 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost date so you can get them straight out working hard as companion plants in April.

Best Soil For Growing Chives

Flowering Chive Plants

Chives do like constant moisture - unlike oregano and thyme who will grow in any old ground - so they do need fertile soil that holds moisture.

The soil does not however need to be over rich. Bog standard potting compost is fine and I manage to grow mine in marginal soil on path edges.

Growing Chives From Seeds

Chive flowers

Chives are easy to grow from seed and if you want to grow veggies on a budget, it is a no brainer to sow your own: one tiny chive plant will cost the same as a packet of 500 chive seeds!!

My only caveat is that chive seeds are not always quick to germinate. They can take up to 3 weeks to get going which may way be too slow if you want urgent organic pest control!!

If you are sowing seeds directly outdoors after your last frost date, simply sow them in :

  1. Clusters of 2 to 5 seeds
  2. Good sunlight
  3. Moisture retaining soil
  4. ¼ inch deep.

How Long Chives Take To Grow

Chives growing in the garden

After their slightly slow germination - see above - chives do grow quickly.

Typically within 8 to 12 weeks of sowing chives will :

  • Grow to 15-40 cm /6-16 inches
  • Start flowering.

You can start harvesting the chive blades for cooking before the chives flower but it's usually best to wait at least 8 weeks from planting.

Once chives flower you should harvest regularly to ensure the chives grow back after cutting and keep flowering.

Caring For Chive Plants

Chives are incredibly easy plants to care for. It basically boils down to :

  1. Plenty of sunlight but some shade in temperatures above 80f/26c.
  2. Moist but not soggy soil. In warmer climates you may need to mulch to retain moisture.
  3. Take pots in or protect plants if temperature falls below 40f/4c.
  4. Keep harvesting regularly for more growth and flowers.
  5. Split clumps in spring every 2 to 3 years to prevent over crowding.

Chives are perennials and in most of the USA and UK chives will die back over winter to re-emerge next spring.

How To Harvest Chives To Grow Back After Cutting

Chopped chive blades with chive floers

Chives are a lovely light garnish for everything from soups and salads to mains so we want to harvest little and often rather than all in one go.

Chives are ready to harvest 8 weeks from planting or as they start to flower.

You can actually eat the whole of the chive but the best parts are the :

  • Blades (the non-flowering leaves)
  • Flowers.

The bulbs and flowering stems are a bit tough and would need cooking.

When your chives are ready to harvest :

  1. Cut 2 or 3 blades
  2. 2 or 3 times a week
  3. Leaving roughly 2 inches/5 cm of blade above soil.

The chive blossoms have a delicate onion-garlic flavour and make a pretty and tasty addition to anything from salads to omelettes.

To prepare the chive flowers simply :

  • Rinse gently
  • To remove any little bugs
  • Allow to air dry before serving.

Regular harvesting will keep your chives flowering for optimal performance as organic pest control and soil improver. So if you have more than you can eat simply cut regularly for pretty little vases of indoor flowers.

Chive flowers in a vase

And there you go, everything you need to know about growing chives for cooking and as organic companion plants.

Do drop me any feedback, queries or questions in the comments.

For more simple backyard gardening tips check out my other grow your own posts and follow me on Pinterest.

Cradle Cap Remedies

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Newborn baby sleeping

Ugly cradle cap on our new baby's scalp can be incredibly distressing, but do not fear. You have NOT failed parenting 101 and let your baby down!

Cradle cap is common and usually disappears by itself before 12 months.

However, some cradle cap remedies may make it worse and it can hang around into childhood as seborrheic dermatitis for some babies.1

So in this guide I'll share everything I learned about easing cradle cap gently :

  1. What Is Cradle Cap?
  2. What Triggers It?
  3. How Common Is Cradle Cap?
  4. When Does It Appear?
  5. How Long It Usually Lasts
  6. Gentle Cradle Cap Remedies

And then look at over treatment and what to do if cradle cap sticks around.

NB I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor if you have any concerns about cradle cap.

What Actually Is Cradle Cap?

Cradle cap is basically clumps of scaly white or yellow skin flakes that stick together and build up in crusts on our baby's skin. They are unsightly but not usually itchy or irritating for our child.

Cradle cap flakes are a mix of excess :

  1. Sebum : our natural scalp oil
  2. Malassezia : a scalp fungus.2

Scalp fungus sounds horrid but Malassezia is meant to live on everyone's scalp. The problem in cradle cap is there is too much of it.

What Triggers Cradle Cap?

Malassezia fungus feeds on scalp sebum. More sebum means more fungus which means more cradle cap.

So why do our babies have so much sebum? Again, it is completely natural.

Adrenal androgens fuel rapid newborn growth and these hormones trigger extra scalp oil as they do in puberty.3

How Common Is Cradle Cap?

Cradle cap is very common. Up to 70% of babies will have cradle cap in the first year of their life. You are NOT doing something horribly wrong!

When Does Cradle Cap Appear?

Mother holding newborn baby

In the majority of babies cradle cap :

  1. Appears between 0 and 3 months
  2. Continues until 6 months
  3. Vanishes by itself after 6 months.

By 12 months, it is estimated that less than 10% of babies have cradle cap.

So most young babies only need the gentle cradle cap remedies we'll look at next. (For older babies still suffering jump ahead to Persistent Cradle Cap).

Gentle Cradle Cap Remedies

Baby shampoo, baby oil and baby brush

At the first signs of cradle cap in your young baby all you need to do whilst shampooing baby's hair is :

  1. Very gently rub at clumps of cradle cap with a soft cloth
  2. To ease away the flakes
  3. Remembering to watch out for your baby's soft spot.

Remember it is natural. Try to stay on top of it, not clear every last flake.

If the flakes get crusty we need to up the ante a little using the supplies and treatment below but still keep it gentle.

Cradle Cap Supplies

The only supplies you need to ease your baby's cradle cap gently are :

  1. Soft baby brush.
  2. Mild baby shampoo with pH 4.5-5.5 free from fragrance & sulfates.
  3. Oil to rub gently into scalp e.g. :
    • Coconut oil
    • Olive oil
    • Baby oil
    • Mineral oil
    • Petroleum jelly

There's much debate about safe oils for babies. Go with what you prefer.

Test Oil Sensitivity

Test chosen oil for tolerance if not used on baby before. Standard advice is :

  1. Apply tiny amount i.e. 1-2 drops behind ear or on inner arm.
  2. Leave for 2-5 minutes.
  3. Wait 24 hours before using fully.
  4. Do NOT use further if any signs of rash or redness suggest sensitivity.

Treating Cradle Cap

Young baby having a bath

To treat cradle cap gently :

  1. Apply a little oil to cradle cap, 1-2 teaspoons for whole scalp.
  2. Very lightly rub in.
  3. Leave initially for 5 minutes building subsequently to 15 and if needed 30 minutes.
  4. Gently move flakes with soft brush.
  5. Don't use force at all or pick at the cradle cap, just let whatever will come away easily come away.
  6. Wash gently with mild shampoo.
  7. Rinse scalp.
  8. Repeat at very most twice a week and ideally just once.

Do not leave oil on overnight as it makes hair greasy which requires more shampooing, which we want to avoid.

How Long Will Cradle Cap Last?

Gentle cradle cap remedies typically let us keep on top of cradle cap whilst it naturally persists until 6 months.

They may not clear all flakes but that's OK. We're giving the scalp a helping hand in a tricky period that will pass. Harsh treatments will clear all the cradle cap but risk making it worse.

90% of cradle cap clears by 12 months but that still leaves 1 in 10 babies suffering. So let's look now at why it persists and how to treat it if it does.

Persistent Cradle Cap

Baby sitting up with hand to mouth

Persistent cradle cap may, rarely, be tied to genetics or gut issues but more often the culprit is over treatment.

Over treatment of scalp dermatitis - grown up cradle cap - stops the scalp healing naturally and creates a vicious cycle of worse symptoms. This also seems to happen in babies.

To understand why, we need to look at what is living on our baby's scalp!

(For quick action, jump straight to the persistent cradle cap remedies).

Baby's Scalp Microbiome

You will have heard about the gut microbiome but we also have a scalp microbiome made up of skin cells, hair follicles and sebum PLUS :

  1. Fungi
  2. Good bacteria
  3. Antimicrobial agents
  4. And even helpful little bugs!!

Scalp Microbiome Balance

A well balanced scalp microbiome4 can keep Malassezia - the cradle cap fungus - on a tight rein :

  1. pH 4.5-5.5 : slows growth as Malassezia prefers neutral or alkaline conditions.
  2. S. epidermidis : a bacteria which competes for space and nutrients.
  3. Demodex mites : like Malassezia they eat excess oils and dead skin so compete for food.
  4. LL-37 : peptides produced by S. epidermidis that kills Malassezia directly with antimicrobial powers.

But baby shampoos and cradle cap treatments throw our scalp off balance!

Harsh Baby Shampoo Problems

Many baby shampoos have an alkaline pH of 6.5-7 which lets fungus flourish5 causing more cradle cap. We then wash baby's hair more often to clear it.

Cartoon of cradle cap fungus

But frequent washing dries out sebum and sweat which leaves Malassezia hungry but also depletes S. epidermidis and Demodex who struggle for food.

Our scalp ups sebum levels for the dryness which means more food for everyone but Malassezia regrows faster6 so gorges on sebum whilst the others get their act together.

Diagram about frequent hair washing and cradle cap

And that means more cradle cap!! You can see how this works can't you?

Unfortunately, it gets worse.

Harsh Cradle Cap Treatments

Cradle cap treatments typically contain ketoconazole which is great at killing Malassezia and clears cradle cap fast.

But it is a scorched earth strategy - ketoconazole unfortunately also :

  1. Kills S. epidermidis bacteria7
  2. Which takes out production of those critical Malassezia fighting LL-37 peptides!!8
Cradle cap treatment diagram.

Other ingredients dry out sebum too much so again starve Demodex mites of food and the treatments also make baby's scalp more alkaline.

So you know what happens don't you?

Malassezia races back first and hosts a house party for all its Malassezia mates before the balancing bacteria, peptides & mites can get in the door!

Cradle cap gets locked into a cycle of short term relief followed by ever-spreading crusts of flakes, i.e. long term seborrheic dermatitis.

So how can we tackle severe cradle cap?

Persistent Cradle Cap Remedies

Baby wrapped in blue towel

Four surprisingly simple remedies can together help you tackle persistent cradle cap in toddlers :

  1. Shampoo Detox
  2. Sunshine
  3. Nutritional Scalp Boosters
  4. Hormone Tamers

Shampoo Detox

Smiling baby with head wrapped in blue towel

Research shows a gentle shampoo detox can break the cycle of chronic over treated seborrheic dermatitis.9

Over a 4-8 week period :

  1. Gentle Swap: Switch to a mild, sulfate-free, pH-balanced baby shampoo (pH 4.5-5.5).
  2. Reduce Frequency: Each week extend the gaps between washes by an extra day. Your child's scalp will slowly adjust sebum levels.
  3. Spot Clean: Between washes, use lukewarm water or a damp cloth to lift excess oil/dirt.
  4. Moisturize Lightly: Post-wash, dab 1-2 drops of a non-clogging oil (e.g. jojoba) to calm dryness without feeding Malassezia.
  5. Monitor: Keep an eye on flakes adjusting pace if scalp irritated.

Less shampoo should let your child's scalp microbiome rebalance itself naturally but the next three remedies can also give a big helping hand.

Sunshine & Scalps

Toddler sitting on grass on sunny day

Surprisingly sunshine can really help to keep the scalp microbiome of kids - over 12 months - healthily balanced.

UVB rays from the sun can - in spring and summer - directly suppress Malassezia fungus. Lab tests showed an almost instant 30-60% reduction!

Scalp skin cells also directly convert UVB rays into vitamin D which stays in the skin, boosting local defences including those little LL-37 peptide warriors who fight Malassezia.

So in spring and summer help your kid's scalp suppress cradle cap naturally with hatless outdoor play between roughly 10am and 2pm for :

  1. 10 mins if skin fair on sunny days
  2. 20 mins if skin dark on sunny days
  3. 60 mins if cloudy.

A gentle rinse or spot clean after blast of sun can remove cradle cap clumps.

Be careful of sun. Do not let skin get red. Do NOT ever expose heads of babies under 12 to midday sun.

Nutritional Scalp Boosters

Mother, father and two young children eating a meal

Other nutrient power players can also help to boost scalp health :

  1. Zinc
  2. Omega 3
  3. Iron
  4. Vitamin A

Zinc

Kids are more likely to have seborrheic dermatitis and fungal conditions if their zinc levels are low and symptoms are more likely to be worse.10

Omega 3

Malassezia thrives in the inflamed, scabby scalp that comes with long term dermatitis. Omega 3 eases inflammation and tweaks the nature of sebum to make scalp more friendly to our old mate S. epidermidis.

Iron

Low iron levels are tied to inflamed scalps and high sebum production.

Vitamin A

Healthy vitamin A levels helps keep a healthy cycle of new cells pushing through as dead cells fall away, when vitamin A is low, dead cells pile up for Malassezia to feed on.11

Scalp Nutrient Food

Great food for boosting these scalp nutrients in our kids' diet include :

  1. Red meat - good value chuck steak in a stew is great for zinc & iron.
  2. Oily fish - e.g. salmon steak.
  3. Shellfish - e.g. crab sandwich.
  4. Poultry - pasture raised.
  5. Eggs - pasture raised.
  6. Nuts & seeds - e.g. walnuts, sesame, chia, flax in a trail mix.

For more ideas check out these guides to iron rich food and zinc rich food.

Hormone Tamers

Toddler crying

We saw at the beginning that baby hormones trigger excess sebum and cradle cap. Well as babies become toddlers other hormones kick in :

  1. Insulin driven by sugar
  2. Cortisol driven by stress

If these new hormones go haywire they can also cause excess sebum making it harder to clear persistent cradle cap.

So we need to tame these hormones.

Sugar & Insulin

Crying toddler eating a cookie

Research shows sugar-heavy diets and erratic insulin trigger excess sebum in teens with scalp dermatitis. It is very possible the same happens in young kids with high-sugar diets, though no studies have directly studied it to date.

Simple ways to slash the sugar load in the diet of young kids include :

  1. Ease right up on fruit juice.
  2. Make lower sugar cookies.
  3. Stock sugar free snacks e.g. cheese, cold meat slices, good yoghurt, hard boiled eggs.
  4. Slowly swap out cereals for cooked breakfasts e.g. meat, fish, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans.
  5. Only eat candy outdoors when running around so burned off.
  6. Keep cakes etc for dessert.

Little by little reducing the sugar can really help tame insulin and keep it calm.

Stress & Cortisol

Young girl crying

We know from research into teens with scalp dermatitis that erratic cortisol levels caused by stress can trigger 4 things that help Malassezia flourish :

  1. Excess sebum production
  2. Skin barrier damage
  3. Inflammation
  4. Reduced vitamin D.

Again, it's not been studied directly in under-5s but it is likely the same thing happens when cortisol keeps spiking!

Simple ways to lower stress and cortisol spikes in young kids are :

  1. Loads of outdoor play.
  2. Balancing activities.
  3. Plenty of sleep.
  4. Much less sugar.
  5. Much less screen time.
  6. Clear behaviour boundaries.
  7. Loads of love & cuddles.

Key Take Aways

Mother holding baby wrapped in towel

So there we go, everything I learned about cradle cap that will hopefully help you relieve it naturally and break the cycle of persistent scalp dermatitis.

As a quick recap key take aways are:

  1. Cradle cap is natural and common.
  2. It flourishes from 0-6 months.
  3. It vanishes by itself in 90% of babies between 6 and 12 months.
  4. Always treat cradle cap gently in babies to avoid over treatment.
  5. Harsh over treatment can cause persistent cradle cap.

To relieve persistent cradle cap in toddlers and older kids:

  1. Detox from harsh shampoos.
  2. Safely boost sunlight to scalp.
  3. Feed a diet rich in enough:
    • Iron
    • Zinc
    • Omega 3
    • Vitamin A
  4. Cut right back on sugar to stabilise erratic insulin levels.
  5. Ease stress to balance cortisol.

I really hope these tips and remedies help you relieve cradle cap for your baby or toddler. Do shout with questions.

For more simple family health tips check out my other natural remedies and follow me on Pinterest.

Research References

1) Schwartz, R. A., et al. (2006). “Seborrheic Dermatitis: An Overview.” American Family Physician, 74(1), 125-130
2) Hay, R. J. (2011). “Malassezia, Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis: An Overview.” British Journal of Dermatology, 165(Suppl 2), 2-8.
3) Zouboulis, C. C., et al. (2007). “Sebaceous Gland in Human Skin—The Fantastic Lipid Factory.” Dermato-Endocrinology, 1(2), 85-91.
4) Grice, E. A., & Segre, J. A. (2011). "The skin microbiome". Nature Reviews Microbiology, 9(4), 244–253. 
5) Schwartz, J. R., et al. (2013). "A comprehensive pathophysiology of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis" Dermatologic Clinics, 31(4), 547–553 
6) Saxena, R. et al. (2021). "Longitudinal study of the scalp microbiome ..." Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 626599. 
7) Findley, K. et al. (2013). "Topographic diversity of fungal and bacterial communities in human skin." PLoS Pathogens, 9(6)
8) Nakatsuji, T. et al. (2017). "Antimicrobials from human skin commensal bacteria protect against Staphylococcus aureus and are deficient in atopic dermatitis." Science Translational Medicine, 9(378)
9) Trüeb, R. M. (2010). Shampoos: Ingredients, Efficacy and Adverse Effects. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 23(Suppl 1), 16-22.
10) Bilen, H., et al. (2015). "Zinc Deficiency and Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Case-Control Study." Postepy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 32(4), 267–270
11) Reichrath, J., et al. (2007). "Vitamin A and Skin Health: Retinoids in Dermatology." Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 127(9), 2067–2075