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Dealing with Chives Pests

Gardening Guide: Chill Chives Guide

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Dealing with Chives Pests

By Norann Oleson

Caterpillar eating a chive leaf

Caterpillar eating a chive leaf

Pests on your chives, left unchecked, can damage and destroy your lovely plants. Keeping a close watch on your plants during regular daily inspections will help you spot any pests before they can do irreparable harm. Healthy chives can bounce back from pest damage if you catch the pests quickly.

Spot the symptoms of chive plant pests

Check leaves, bulbs, and flowers for these symptoms that come from pests on the prowl.

On Chive Leaves

Symptom Pest
Yellowing leaves; clusters of small “bumps” on leaves Aphids
Discolored or distorted leaves; scarred leaves; silvery look to leaves Thrips

On Chive Bulbs

Symptom Pest
Leaves and stems break at the soil line; bulbs are infested with larvae Onion maggot

How to treat pests on chives

Here are some proven ways to get rid of pests on your chives. Choose the best treatment for the type of pests invading your plants.

  • Pick off the pests. Use your garden gloves to remove the pests by hand. After removal, destroy pests by drowning them in a bucket of soapy water or crushing them with your foot. Handpicking isn’t efficient or practical for very small pests, but works well with larger pests.
  • Blast ‘em. If you spot invaders like aphids, give them a good blast with the garden hose. Chances are good the neighborhood birds will notice and come eat your pests.
  • Apply insecticidal soap. Insecticidal soap is organic. The potassium salts in insecticidal soap help remove an insect’s protective waxes, causing destruction of insect membranes and killing them. Mix the soap with water to create your solution, and apply directly to insects on any plants. While insecticidal soap is less apt to affect other organisms, certain plants might be sensitive to the soap and can suffer leaf burn.
  • Apply horticultural oils. Combine plant- or petroleum-based oils with water to produce horticultural sprays. Neem oil, for instance, is derived from seed extracts of the neem plant. Oil-based sprays block an insect’s air holes, interfere with an insect’s metabolism, disrupt insect feeding, and inhibit insect growth. Like insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils can cause plant injury if not properly diluted.
  • Make your own pest spray. You can make your own pest spray with benign materials. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of a mild dish detergent, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a gallon of water to make a solution that will repel all kinds of bugs, as well as a fungicide for blight and mildew on chive plant leaves. Shake it well in your bottle before spraying and repeat every week for it to be continuously effective.

Do pests attack your chives every year? How do you handle removing them—and even preventing them in the first place? Please tell us how you treat your chives to avoid pests.

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Tags

chive bulbs, chives, plant pests

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Feature Articles

  • Growing Zones for Chives
  • Types of Chives
  • Growing Chives from Seeds or Starts
  • Where to Grow Chives
  • Planting Chives in the Ground
  • Growing Chives in Containers
  • Nurturing your Chive Plants
  • Harvesting your Chives
  • Preserving Your Chives
  • Dealing with Chives Diseases
  • Dealing with Chives Pests
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Chives
  • 10 Tips for Growing Chives (and 5 Reasons You Want To)
  • Transplanting Chives: Tips for a Successful Transfer
  • Plant Profiles

  • Nira Chives (Allium tuberosum)
  • Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
  • Staro Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • Snowcap Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • Forescate Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • Garlic Geisha Chives (Allium tuberosum)
  • Recipes

  • Parmesan Chive Drop Biscuits
  • Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives
  • Fresh Chive Pesto
  • Chive Butter
  • Cheese & Chive Frittata
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts about Chives
  • Health Benefits and Home Remedies of Chives
  • Resources about Chives
  • Chives Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • How to Divide Chives and Share the Wealth

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