Chive tip: Protect tomatoes and roses with these 13 plants.

Many amateur gardeners face the same problem year after year: aphids, fungal diseases and feeding damage ruin tomatoes, strawberries and roses long before the harvest or flowering reaches its peak. Rather than reaching for a spray, more and more people are turning to the principle of mixed planting. And it is chives, of all things - usually only sprinkled over scrambled eggs as a garnish - that play a surprisingly powerful leading role.

Why chives in the border can do far more than simply flavour food

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) belong botanically to the onion family. The plant is perennial, hardy and develops only very shallow roots. That is precisely what makes it such an ideal companion in the garden bed: it fits easily between tomatoes, strawberries or roses without competing with them for water or nutrients.

In the garden, chives act like a natural protective screen: they deter pests and weaken fungal diseases, while their flowers attract beneficial insects.

A typical feature of all onion plants is the sulphur compound allicin. It creates the onion-like scent that stimulates our appetite, but reliably drives away many pests. Observations in gardens show that chives can help reduce, among other things, the following nuisances:

• Aphids

Chives are especially useful in organic growing because they combine practical protection with an ornamental effect. Left to flower, they form attractive lilac-pink flower heads that are not only decorative, but also provide food for bees and other pollinators.

If you plant chives in mixed cultivation, it is worth keeping the clumps tidy by trimming them regularly. This encourages fresh, tender growth and helps the plant remain vigorous throughout the season. A sunny location and well-drained soil are usually enough for chives to establish themselves and support neighbouring crops with very little effort.