12 Best Plants to Grow With Onions

What is a good companion plant for onions? Experts often recommend traditional companions for onions, and like any other crop, companion planting is essential for a healthy plant. Onions make excellent plant companions, and this is due to their ability to enhance the flavor of crops that are planted nearby.

Onions are also important in crop rotations as they can help repel many pests that feed on vegetables.

Onions are not only excellent and healthy when eaten, but can also be planted among vegetables to deter pests like aphids, rabbits and Japanese beetles.

It is important to know which crops are good companion crops for onions because poor companion crops can cause the onion to taste sour or bitter. Therefore, this article covers everything you need to know about companion onion plants.

12 Best Plants to Grow With Onions

There are several varieties of onions, and when choosing which one to plant, you need to think about what will grow well next to them. You need to think about which plant is beneficial to it, and not suppress its growth. The strong aroma of onions and other alliums makes them an excellent companion for many onions, as they can help repel a wide range of pests.

1. Cabbage

Image: Envato Elements

Crucifers, members of the cabbage family, are the main plants near onions. In general, all crucifers work with onions. Onions are excellent for repelling pests like cabbage herbivores, cabbage maggots, and cabbage stomachs. It can also help confuse or distract from a variety of common pests.

The best cabbages that go well with onions are broccoli, kale, rutabaga, Brussels sprouts, turnip greens, and cauliflower. Onions ward off most pests that infest cabbage.

2. Carrots

Onion is a great companion for carrots as it helps repel the dreaded carrot fly. Having your carrots surrounded by onions can really help because you can easily prevent carrot pests from destroying your carrot crop. Onions also do well with intermediate roots.

3. Beetroot

The onion is one of the rare companion plants of the beet. Planting an onion nearby is beneficial and can act as a natural deterrent to garden pests. Onions and beets make a great pair, and onions protect against insect pests like aphids and sugar beet flea beetles.

4. ALS

Salad

Lettuce goes well with onions. Onion has a shorter root depth than lettuce, so the two can be planted next to each other, and lettuce is easy to uproot if the roots need more space. Both are companion plants that don’t compete for resources, allowing you to maximize planting space in your garden.

5. Strawberries

Most people worry that strong-smelling onions will lend their flavor to nearby strawberries. But onions and strawberries make surprisingly good companion plants. Strawberries are vulnerable to pests like aphids, but planting onions nearby can help boost the health of your crops.

6. Worries

You can stimulate the growth of your onions with these spiky flowers. Marigolds are useful in attracting beneficial insects that can pollinate and also feed on the various pests that can harm your garden.

7. Swiss chard

Swiss chard is one of best companion plants for onions† Swiss chard leaves can help keep soil moist and can also provide a healthy environment for rooted onion growth.

8. coin

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Planting mint next to onions can help deter flies, which can be a useful addition to your garden. The pungent smell of mints may put off insects, but be aware that mints are prolific and will invade the bed if allowed.

9. pink

To protect your roses from pests that eat them, plant them with onions. Roses are ornamental plants often infested with aphids and other sap-sucking insects, and onions can help repel insects.

10. chamomile

Chamomile is an excellent companion plant, especially beneficial for plants like broccoli, kale and onions. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of chamomile help improve the flavor of onions when planted nearby.

11. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a common idea for garden plants. The pungent smell of onions is an excellent repellent that will help protect tomatoes from pests. Some of the best companion plants for tomatoes include all members of the onion family, such as garlic, chives, and the onions themselves.

12. hearty summer

Planting summer grasses near onions is said to make the onions sweeter and may also stimulate their growth. Honey bees are attracted to tasty flowers.

What not to plant near onions?

Onions have the ability to enhance the flavor of their companion plants, making them a companion plant for many crops. But there are certain plants that you should avoid planting near onions.

1. Beans

You should keep onions away from all kinds of beans, as this can be detrimental to onions. Legumes can stunt onion growth and for best results for both crops keep them away.

2. peas

Another plant that should be kept away from onions is peas. Onions often suffer from onion larvae which are easily transferred to a pea if spaced out.

3. Asparagus

You should keep alliums like leeks, garlic, and onions away from asparagus. Onions will only stunt the growth of asparagus and will also affect the flavor of the asparagus crop. Simply plant an allium plant well away from your asparagus beds.

4. sage

Onions should not be planted near sage. The best place for sage is often in the vegetable patch, but while it can work with onions in stuffings and other recipes, it can stunt sage growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can onions stay in the ground all winter?

Yes, onions are not plants that can survive incredibly cold temperatures, so they stay in the ground all winter. They provide quality bulbs even after being screwed in.

Do you transplant the onions well?

Onions transplant well as long as they are planted right away. Onions grow easily from seeds, joints or grafts. They need loose soil to be relatively easy to move.

Can I grow onions in a bucket?

Yes, onions can be grown in buckets, but make sure there is a hole in the bottom of the bucket for drainage.

How long do onions take to grow?

Onions can take 3-4 months to grow from seed to harvest. If you want chives, you need to harvest them in 3-4 weeks.

How far apart should onions and potatoes be planted?

Onions grow well when planted near potatoes, but due to spacing they should be planted no more than 1 deep, 4 or 5 apart and in rows 12 to 18 inches apart .

Do onions need full sun?

There are three main types of onions, short day, intermediate day and long day. But they all need full sun. Therefore, it is better to choose a place where they will not be overshadowed by other onions.

Do onions like manure?

Onions like rich soil, but they don’t really need nitrogen. They should not be grown in freshly fertilized soil, but rather dig up and fertilize the soil months before planting.

Can onions be planted in the summer?

Onions can be planted in late summer or early fall in southern and warmer regions. Onions also thrive in the lower half of the country during the summer in most areas.

Can I plant onions and garlic in the same bed?

Onions and garlic can be planted together in the same row as they won’t affect each other, but be sure to keep plants like asparagus, peas, beans and sage a safe distance from them.

Do onions need a lot of water to grow?

Yes! Onions need plenty of water, but the soil should never be soggy. However, if mulch is used, the onions will not require additional watering. If you want softer onions, water more.

final thoughts

Onions are good companion plants for many vegetables, but a companion plant guide is essential if you want a bigger, healthier, and tastier harvest.

With a companion plant guide, you can choose the right plant to grow together and keep crops separate. Although it seems complicated, onion companion plants it’s really easy and with this article and some careful planning, you can have a healthy crop of onions.