Do Chives Attract Bugs?
Introduction
If you’re a flower gardener, you know that bugs can be a real nuisance in your garden, but did you know that there are plants that can actually repel bugs? One such plant is chives, which are known for their strong onion-like scent that many bugs don’t like.
In this article, we’ll discuss why chives are a great choice for keeping your garden bug-free, how to plant and maintain them properly, and common mistakes to avoid when planting and growing chives in your garden.
What Are Chives?
Chive plants are members of the Allium family and closely related to garlic, onions, and leeks. Unlike their relatives, chive plants produce small purple flowers that bloom in the summer months and have hollow leaves with a mild onion flavor when eaten raw or cooked in meals. The leaves can also be dried or frozen for later use as well as used fresh as an herb seasoning for many dishes.
Chives’ Strong Onion-Like Scent
Chive plants are known for their strong onion-like scent which deters many insects from invading your garden such as carrot flies, Japanese beetles, and aphids. This is because the scent of these plants is too strong for these pests and they don’t like it so they stay away from your garden beds where they would otherwise feed on the delicious vegetables you’re growing there!
Bugs That Do Not Like Chives’ Scent
In addition to carrot flies, Japanese beetles, and aphids, other pests that do not like the smell of chive plants include slugs, snails, caterpillars, thrips, spider mites and even mosquitoes! This makes chive plants a great choice for keeping these pests out of your garden beds where they could otherwise cause significant damage to your crops if left unchecked.
Benefits of Planting Chives in Your Garden
Not only will planting chive plants help keep the bugs away from your garden beds but they also have many other benefits! For example, they can help attract beneficial pollinators such as bees and butterflies which help pollinate other plants in your garden while providing nectar sources to nourish them at the same time! Additionally, chive leaves can be harvested throughout the season for use as an herb seasoning or dried/frozen for future use as well!
How To Plant Chives In Your Garden
Chive plants should be planted about 6 inches apart from one another in well-draining soil that has plenty of organic matter mixed into it such as compost or manure. It’s best to wait until late spring or early summer when temperatures have warmed up outside before planting them so that the seedlings have enough time to establish good root systems before winter arrives!
Additionally it’s important to keep soil moist but not soggy by watering regularly throughout the growing season – about once per week should suffice during dry periods without rain fall!
What To Expect From Planting Chives In Your Garden
You can expect chive plants to reach full maturity within 3-4 months after planting depending on environmental conditions such as temperature fluctuations during this time period – once mature they will produce small purple flowers which attract beneficial pollinators while deterring pesky insects at the same time! Additionally their leaves can be harvested throughout the season for use as an herb seasoning or dried/frozen for future use if desired!
How To Maintain Healthy Chive Plants
To keep your chive plants healthy it’s important to remove any dead or wilted leaves throughout the season – this helps prevent diseases from setting in while encouraging new growth at the same time!
Additionally it’s important not to over water them – aim for about once per week during dry periods without rain fall and avoid overwatering which could lead to root rot issues over time if not corrected quickly enough!
Lastly make sure you pull any weeds around them so that they don’t compete with their growth over time – this will help ensure maximum yields come harvest season!
Common Mistakes When Planting And Growing Chives
One of the most common mistakes made when planting and growing chive plants is not properly preparing soil prior to planting – this means making sure there is plenty of organic material mixed into it (such as compost or manure) before sowing seeds so that seedlings have plenty of nutrients available to them during establishment periods!
Additionally it’s important not to over water them – aim for about once per week during dry periods without rain fall and avoid overwatering which could lead to root rot issues over time if not corrected quickly enough!
Lastly make sure you pull any weeds around them so that they don’t compete with their growth over time – this will help ensure maximum yields come harvest season!
Conclusion
In conclusion if you’re looking for an effective way to keep pesky insects out of your garden then planting chives may be just what you’re looking for! Not only do their strong onion-like scents deter many common insect pests but they also provide nectar sources while attracting beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies at the same time – all while providing tasty leaves throughout the season that can be used either fresh or dried/frozen down for future use! With proper maintenance these robust little plants should provide years of bug free gardening enjoyment with minimal effort on your part so why not give them a try today?
