growing chives

Hi scott, may be you can help me grow my chives in a way that I don’t have to pick ‘dead’ stems of each plant. We grow about 10 different herbs in our glasshouse on hydroponic tables.I sow out chives seed in a green plastic little tup[3by 5cm].The growing medium is perlite. In each tup I put about 10 seeds and cover them with vermiculite. Water and let them germinate.[about 2weeks]. When the seedlings reach a hight of about three cm I put the little tup in my hydroponic channels. We use standard nutrients for hydroponic in our system. Very quickly there are little dead green stems visible and some of the tips get browm too. Before I sell the plant [we sell plants in pots]. I have to remove.