Broccoli is spectacular, isn’t it? This savory vegetable is as versatile as it is delicious, and is as gorgeous in stir-fries and soups as it is raw, dipped in your favorite dip. If you’re a fan of this beauty, you’re probably growing it at home. There are many great broccoli companion plants that can help your crop thrive.
Whether you want to ward off pests, change the sweetness of your broccoli, or hope to brighten up the soil, there are plants you can put next to your lovely crucifers to help them grow better than ever.
Let’s cut to the chase.
Before you start
In other articles we have talked about how a lack of calcium can cause blossom end rot in fruit bearing plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. Well, broccoli is known to gobble up large amounts of calcium from the soil around it. . If it does not get enough calcium, the leaves will curl at the end and continue to die back towards the stem.
Test your soil before planting and amend it with calcium if necessary. If you think your broccoli still needs a calcium boost, place a calcium chloride tablet in the soil near the stem once a week.
Also, try to avoid planting anything near it that also needs a lot of calcium. After all, you don’t want your crops to compete for nutrients.
Remember that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc. prefer cooler weather. Therefore, you’ll have better luck (and healthier plants) if you grow them in spring or fall.
If you live in a warmer climate, or just have hot, sunny summers, be sure to offer them midday shade. Intercrop at least a few of these broccoli companion plants and you’ll have to deal with fewer pests and have healthier, happier vegetables come harvest time.
Broccoli Companion Plants
When it comes to planting companions, remember to plant different types of friends. There are those that attract beneficial pollinators, those that repel or trap unwanted pests, and those that benefit the main crop through nutrient deposition. Let’s dive into some of the best vegetable, herb, and flower neighbors to choose from, shall we?
1. Lettuce
Lettuce is a glorious vegetable to grow and is delicious in salads and sandwiches. The problem is that it bolts in hot weather (which is when most of us like it best). As such, consider planting your lettuce near your broccoli.
The large broccoli leaves will shade the baby lettuces, preventing them from going to seed.
2. Spinach
This follows the same rule as the lettuce above. Spinach grows even easier than lettuce, so plant it within 6 to 9 inches of your broccoli plants.
3. Swiss chard
Swiss chard can help provide shade for your broccoli on sunny days and also makes an excellent mulch plant. Its large lower leaves help cover the ground, reducing water loss.
4. Celery
Do you know how subtly sweet celery has a flavor? Well, if you plant it next to your broccoli, it will also help sweeten this vegetable. Plus, not only will it help remove excess bitterness from the brassica, but its tall stems can help provide shade on hot, sunny days.
Just be sure to watch the light fall into your garden so you know where to plant it for optimal shade.
5. Beets
Unlike other root vegetables like carrots and parsnips, beets are not calcium hogs. They break up dense soil to increase aeration and water movement, and also won’t compete with your broccoli for space.
6. Radish
These behave much like the beets mentioned above.
7. Cucumbers
If you live in a very hot climate, consider planting cucumbers on a nearby trellis to help provide shade. Cukes don’t rank high on the list of broccoli companion plants because they’re such big eaters.
In fact, if you don’t feed the soil well, they can seriously compete with crucifers for nutrients.
That said, as broccoli can thrive in hot weather with too much sun, cucumbers (or melons) grown vertically or overhead can really provide vital shade. The key here is to grow the cukes in containers, or along the edge, in well-nourished soil.
8. Onions
This includes any plant in the onion (allium) family, including shallots and green onions. They won’t compete with broccoli for nutrients and they will repel unwanted insect pests.
Most insects find the allicin, quercetin and kaempferol they contain quite revolting. Therefore, using alliums as border plants around your other vegetable beds can protect your tasty veggies from munching little mouths.
9. Potatoes
The spuds are the only members of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family that can be planted next to broccoli. This is because fruiting nightshades such as peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant compete for the nutrients broccoli needs.
In contrast, potato tubers help break up soil and increase nutrient flow. This helps the broccoli roots spread and absorb tastier vitamins and minerals.
10. Rhubarb
It is technically a vegetable, although it is often prepared like a fruit. Either way, it’s an ideal plant to grow near your broccoli, but not right next to it.
Rhubarb is an ideal trap crop for cabbage whiteflies (Aleyrodes Bra), which can decimate Brassica crops. Grow it about 18 inches from your broccoli so it doesn’t compete with nitrogen.
Plus, grow it near any other brassica beds you might have, as it will also protect your kale, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, rapini, etc.
11. Dill
Dill is one of the best broccoli companion plants because it performs a triple function. Not only does it improve the flavor of broccoli, but it also stimulates growth. Finally, if you let your dill flower, it will attract braconid wasps, hoverflies and ladybugs. These all feed on species such as aphids, worms and caterpillars that would otherwise destroy your food crops.
12. Basil
Basil helps deter unwanted pests such as cabbage worms and white moths. If allowed to flower, it also attracts bees, wasps and butterflies.
13. Mint
Now I’m a little torn on the mint plants here. On the one hand, they are extremely beneficial in repelling white flies, white butterflies, aphids and flea beetles. On the other hand, once you’ve planted mint, it’s almost impossible to get rid of it.
If you want to plant mint as one of your broccoli companion plants, consider planting pots of it in the ground nearby. Otherwise, you will have a mint garden in just a few years.
14. Rosemary
Cabbage loopers and cabbage moths that love Brassicaceae family members absolutely despise rosemary. Use it as a perimeter fence around your broccoli or intersperse it between your plants to protect them.
Note that rosemary is only perennial if you are in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 and above. Otherwise, treat it as an annual. If you want to keep it permanently, you will need to repot it and bring it indoors before the frosts hit.
15. Chives
Just like other alliums, chives will help repel unwanted insects while attracting beneficial insects. You can also cut chive leaves and blossoms as needed to add to broccoli dishes you like to make.
16. Thyme
The thymol in this herb is an excellent repellent for several species of unwanted insects that would otherwise chew your broccoli into pieces. In addition, its flowers will attract and feed many species of bees and wasps.
17. Chamomile
This friendly little flowering herb enhances the flavor of broccoli while repelling unwanted insects. Since it is a creeping ground cover, it will also help retain moisture in the soil.
18. Nasturtiums
Not only do these excellent broccoli companion plants attract beneficial pollinators, they also look stunning in the garden. Bright orange nasturtiums naturally complement dark green broccoli. As a bonus, you can even eat the two together.
Try making raw broccoli salad or coleslaw and toss in a bunch of nasturtium petals and leaves. They will add amazing color as well as spicy flavors to the dish.
19. Calendula
Like nasturtiums, calendula flowers are beneficial neighbors to almost any plant. They improve flavor, repel aphids and attract good pollinators. And hey, you can’t go wrong with having a few extra medicinal plants in the garden!
20. Borage
These pretty plants have pretty blue flowers that look great among your brassicas. Additionally, their smell and flavor repel cabbage hornworms while attracting bees and butterflies.
21. Cosmos
The cosmos can prevent some pests and attract pollinators. It therefore makes an excellent companion plant not only for broccoli, but also for many other species.
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