Everyone who loves to cook loves Chives. It’s a plant which is very easy to harvest and can be grown in your garden or backyard.
Chives are one of the most beneficial plants because they have the flavors of both Garlic and Ginger. Planting companion plants around chive plants helps with their growth. Chives contain antibacterial and antifungal properties, which are very useful for companion plants.
Chives are simply another variety of onions with nearly identical companion plants.
Love chives yet? Let us first know the importance of companion plants with Chives.
Why Do We Need Companion Plants With Chives?
Sometimes planting a vegetable is not sufficient, and sometimes, you need companion plants for its healthy growth. Chives are one of the most delicate veggies to grow. Growing companion plants with chives help with various things, including healthy development.
Chives possess pest and insect-repelling properties and are used to control insects in growing fields. It also attracts pollinators to the garden when it blossoms.
Benefits of Chives Planting With Companions
Here are some benefits of Chives planting with companions:
1. Enhanced Flavors
Enhanced Flavors may improve tastes and enhance its flavors. Chives share nutrients that help other plants odor and taste.
2. More Space
It saves you a lot of space as chives need minimum space for plantation. The more plants are along each other, the more they hold water, and their soil nutrition also improves.
3. Shade Regulation
Taller plants, when planted alongside smaller leafy plants, operate as shade regulators. Taller plants often regulate direct sunlight and provide partial shade to small plants, preventing heat exhaustion.
4. Attract Beneficial Insects
Chives help companion plants by attracting insects and pollinators that are beneficial for the plants.
5. Repel Insects
Carrot flies, cucumber beetles, and other such bugs can damage your crops. Chives help repel pests and enhance the growth of their companions.
6. Improves soil nutrients
Crops, while growing, soak in many nutrients, leaving soil almost dead. Planting companion plants helps in restoring those nutrients keeping other plants healthy.
Best Companion Plants With Chives
Chives are low-maintenance and easily grown plants which also helps in the growth of other companion plants for many different reasons. When in full bloom, chives’ beautiful purple flowers get rich in nectar, appealing to useful leafcutters, honey bees, and bumblebees!
We have compiled a list of companion plants to be grown with chives.
1. Carrots
Chives help in the growth of Carrots. It increases the carrots’ size and color and keeps carrot flies at bay. Chives repel aphids which harm carrots plantation.
2. Tomatoes
Chives repel hornworms and aphids, which feed on tomatoes. Tomatoes taste healthier and better when grown beside other allium family members, like chives and garlic. With safe surroundings, tomatoes grow bigger and in large amounts as well.
Tomatoes also benefit from Chive’s beautiful flowers and fragrant oils. Tomatoes are brilliant companion plants for Chives due to their shared benefits.
3. Grapes
If you’re one of those lucky ones who have grapes in their garden, Chives are one plant you must have nearby. Grapes come in various vibrant colors, as red, black, and green grapes are the common ones.
Chives flower tempts favorable pollinators and insects while keeping harmful ones away from grape crops. Chives help in taste as well as healthy growth.
4. Apple
Apple scab is very common, and planting Chives around apple trees helps prevent apple scab and deter borers.
Chives are helpful near apple trees ensuring a more robust yield.
5. Cucumbers
Cucumbers attract beetles, which munch on the leaves and flowers of cucumbers. Harvesting Chives beside will keep these pests away.
The taste of cucumbers and Chives complement each other well, and they can be harvested together, which will increase their flavors as well.
6. Strawberries
Planting chives near strawberries are like apple trees, they prevent insects that might destroy the fruit. Chives also add nutrients to the soil, which is very helpful to strawberries.
This fruit is widely loved because of its sweetness and juicy nature. Red beautiful looking fruit can grow healthier near chives as wasps and bees are attracted to it who will pollinate the fruit without harming the plant.
7. Basil
Basil is one of the most common herbs used worldwide. It is a natural companion of chives plants. It is known to have a somewhat minty flavor.
For long-term planting, Basil and Chives, when planted together, will be easily manageable and easy to nurture as they grow in similar conditions using well-drained soil.
8. Roses
Who doesn’t like roses? Roses come in colors and often enormous sizes. Be it Yellow or Red or White, they are absolute beauty and are used on every occasion.
Even chives love it. Roses and Chives grow together basically because they both are very low maintenance. Chives protect Roses from black spot disease and repel beetles which are major pests of roses.
9. Brassicas
Members of the Brassicaceae family include cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Chives have antibacterial and antifungal effects on the garden soil, which helps their growth. Chives have a pest-repellent odor which helps cabbage and others by preventing pests from feeding on them.
10. Lettuce
Similar to carrots and tomatoes, lettuce is helpless against different varieties of pests. Chives are easier to grow around lettuce, stimulating the soil and fighting against aphids looking for a feast.
11. Peppers
Against Slug attacks, planting hot peppers with chives is another brilliant idea. Peppers growing alongside chives are more likely to be stronger, juicier, and harvested in larger quantities thanks to the allium’s protective fragrance.
Other Herbs That Can be Planted With Chives
Herbs plantations near chives are beneficial to both. Several herbs that can be grown with chives are Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Sage, Dill, Garlic, and Cilantro.
Owing to its pest-repellent qualities, Chives have many plants that do well around them, but some plants have an adverse effect when planted near Chives.
Let’s find out what plants are the worst companion plants for Chives.
1. Beans
Beans tend to struggle to grow when planted near the onion family, including garlic, leeks, onions, and of course, Chives.
2. Asparagus
Growth of Asparagus is known to be hindered by any plants of the allium family, with no exception to chives.
3. Spinach
Planting spinach around chives is not recommended as it competes for similar soil nutrients.
4. Peas
A pea is a plant that doesn’t do well with chives. Its growth is hampered when planted near peas.
5. Beets
Beets and Chive are allelopathic in nature. Hence they should be planted far apart, or else they’ll hamper each other’s growth.
6. Thyme
Thyme harvesting is just opposite to chives. It will hamper the growth of either of the plants if planted nearby.
Thymes grow on dry soil, whereas herbs like chives do not. Nutrients and watering requirements will vary and won’t result in better growth.
7. Sage
Sage, just like thyme, likes to grow in sandy and dry soil. Chives and sage growing conditions are opposite, which will lead to the death of one plant out of the two.
It is better not to plant them aside, as Sage is one of the worst companion plants of Chives.
Conclusion
Chives are one such plant that makes your garden brighter and more beautiful. We learned about 11 (eleven) companion plants to grow with Chives, which, if planted near chives, will be beneficial all around.
We also learned about 7 (seven) plants not to grow near chives as they are bad companions of Chives.
Once you plant Chives, they’ll continue to blossom for years, acting as a guardian for many other plants.
Chives are very beneficial to health, as they may improve heart health and are known to prevent the risk of cancer.
It’s time to grow Chives with good companions and make our supper healthier.