If you're looking to switch up your garden this season, one TikToker has a multi-purpose plant recommendation that may surprise you: chives.
As it turns out, the green vegetable isn't just the secret behind many great recipes — it can also transform your garden.
The scoop
In a viral TikTok video, Meagan (@MegGrowsPlants) shares why she loves growing chives in her garden.
"If you guys can't tell by my cooking videos, chives are one of my absolute favorite plants," she wrote in the video's caption. "And not just because they taste good — they're also extremely beneficial for the garden."
@meggrowsplants If you guys can't tell by my cooking videos, chives are one of my absolute favorite plants! And not just because they taste good- they're also extremely beneficial for the garden. They attract pollinators and beneficial insects while repelling pests like aphids, etc! They're perennial here in zone 7b. Mine actually didn't die back at all over the winter! So I had fresh chives all winter long 💚 any other chive questions? Ask away in the comments! #gardentok #gardentips #gardeningtips #gardeningforbeginners #chiveblossoms #chives #growyourownfood #companionplanting ♬ Moonlight - Villano
Meagan grows common chives, a plant from the onion family that produces vibrant purple blossoms in the spring. They are easy to grow and have many uses.
In her clip, the TikToker adds that they are edible with an "oniony chive flavor." Meagan uses them as a garnish in many dishes and makes chive blossom butter and vinegar.
Chives are perennial plants, meaning they will grow back every year. However, Meagan warns they likely won't bloom until their second or third year in your garden.
She adds that chives will thrive in your garden next to most plants except asparagus, beans, and spinach.
Meagan also uses chive seeds from each season's blossom to chaos garden. Chaos gardening is a technique in which planters take leftover seeds and scatter them in loose soil to see what will grow.
This technique has been successful in Meagan's garden. She harvests seeds from her blossoms and re-sprinkles them around her garden.
How it's helping
Chives are a garden must-have because they will help your garden flourish. They can help you fend off pests while attracting pollinators that will assist your plants in producing fruit or flowers.
Many pests are repelled by chives' strong scent, including aphids, which are insects that damage plants by sucking juices from leaves and stems. These pests cause discoloration, leaf curling, and stunted growth.
Meagan plants chives along the borders of her garden to act as a natural pest repellant. This technique can replace chemical insect repellents, which can endanger your food crops and the environment.
Chemical pesticides can run off from your garden and enter water sources like wells, ponds, lakes, and rivers. These chemicals can endanger soil, marine and wildlife, and human water supplies.
Chives also attract pollinators, which improve gardens' yield and benefit the environment.
What everyone's saying
Meagan's glowing chive recommendation inspired fellow TikTokers in the comment section.
One user wrote, "My chives are blooming, and I've been wondering what to do with them, thank you!"
"I love chive flowers," another user said. "Great to know they are good as border plants!"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
