Broccoli and other brassica plants are usually the first plants that bugs target in vegetable gardens, which can make pest control a challenge. But by adding broccoli companion plants, you can grow a healthy and pest-free harvest without pesticides. Of course, companion planting works especially well when combined with other organic pest control measures, such as crop rotation and floating row covers.
In this guide, you'll find some of the best, scientifically-proven broccoli companion plants. The list includes vegetables, herbs, and flowers of different sizes so that, no matter how big or small your garden, you can find a companion plant that will work for you. These plants will help repel common garden pests and may even enhance the growth and flavor of your veggies.
Alliums
Garlic, onions, and other alliums are known for their strong scent, which several garden pests find unpleasant. When added as a broccoli companion plant, alliums repel aphids, slugs, and cabbage worms, so you won’t have to worry about holey or damaged produce. Alliums can even keep deer out of your garden when planted around the edges of your beds.
Beets
Broccoli plants require a lot of calcium to grow properly and they shouldn’t be planted near other calcium-loving veggies. Since beets happen to have low calcium needs, they won’t compete with your broccoli for nutrients. Broccoli and beets also both thrive in cool weather and are top plants to grow in spring and fall gardens.
Celery
Cabbage worms can spell disaster for many brassica plants, including broccoli. But these destructive insects hate the smell of celery. Sowing celery as a broccoli companion plant can keep your plants pest-free, and since these two cool-weather vegetables have similar growing needs, planting them together can simplify your gardening chores.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a dainty plant that’s usually used for flavoring herbal teas and desserts, but it’s also a great companion for broccoli and other brassica plants. Chamomile flowers will attract pollinators and beneficial insects like predatory wasps to your garden. This plant is also known to enhance the flavor and growth of broccoli and other brassicas when it’s sown in your vegetable garden.
Dill
Dill is one of the best herbs to grow when allowed to bloom to attract pollinators and beneficial insects to your garden. Lured in by your dill plants, predatory wasps can hunt cabbage loopers and help protect your broccoli plants. Additionally, dill and broccoli grow best in cool weather, and dill can benefit from the shade of taller broccoli plants.
Lettuce
Another cool-weather vegetable, lettuce, will often bolt when temperatures start to rise. But if you plant broccoli companion plants, which will give shade to your lettuce, it can slow down the bolting process and keep it edible for longer. Lettuce and broccoli have similar watering needs, so growing these two plants together makes sense.
Potatoes
Potatoes and broccoli are both plants that need lots of nutrients to grow properly, so they’re not an obvious choice for companion planting. However, if you provide plenty of fertilizer, these plants will grow well together. This is partly due to the fact that broccoli has shallow roots that won't get in the way of your potato harvest.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a large plant, so it’s rarely used as a companion in vegetable gardens. But if you have the space for it, you may want to grow it as a broccoli companion plant. Rhubarb and broccoli have similar growing needs, and rhubarb appears to repel whiteflies, which can damage broccoli leaves.
Rosemary
Another top broccoli companion plant is rosemary. This herb's strong aroma can keep a number of pests away. When planted near your broccoli, rosemary helps repel cabbage moths and some beetles. You may want to keep your rosemary in pots though, because it prefers drier soil than broccoli.
Spinach
Like lettuce, spinach will bolt when temperatures rise, but you can prolong the growing season of your spinach by adding taller broccoli companion plants. Not only will this benefit your spinach, but it’s also a smart way to put bare garden soil to use and get more fresh produce out of your garden.
