22 Arugula Companion Plants: Guide To The Best Ones to Grow Along

Arugula companion plants give you a chance to have a healthy garden and a bountiful harvest. They also bring about favorable growing conditions for arugula while eliminating pests and diseases for this Eruca genus plant.

You don’t have to grow arugula on its own; instead, you can choose to maximize the space and minimize the growth of weeds. Let’s get to know these plants and why they are beneficial.

List of Arugula Companion Plants

1. Celery

Celery and arugula share the same growing conditions making it easy to grow them as companions. They both thrive in moist and rich soils, with organic fertilizers a great addition, having the right properties will help each other progress in their growth.

Planting these two together is economical as you will have a fast and slow-growing crop. Arugula will be ready for harvest 35 to 50 days after planting, while celery takes about 130 to 140 days.

2. Spinach

Spinach and arugula are both easy-growing plants because they are low maintenance. They both require the exact growing needs making it easy to grow them together. Nonetheless, you must remember to water them regularly and mulch them to help retain moisture, because this is one of their key requirements.

These two companions mature within the same time, with most spinach varieties getting ready within 35 to 45 days. If you want to harvest baby spinach, you can start as early as 25 days. You can also harvest arugula early if you use it young and fleshy.

3. Dill

Dill and arugula are two beneficial plants to grow together. Dill would attract good insects like ladybirds, parasitic wasps, bees, and hoverflies that keep the pests away, which is why both plants would be away from pests and won’t be harmed by pest infestation.

Compost manure is best for these two crops as it slowly provides the required nutrients. Keep the soil well moisturized throughout the growing period. It matures within 60 days, and you can harvest it for about a year.

4. Sage

Planting arugula and sage together repels slugs and flea beetles. They do not need much feeding; they do well with compost manure or organic fertilizer. They are both so low-maintenance, that you can water them once a week or twice if the weather is very warm.

Sage usually takes around 75 days to mature, which is longer than arugula. To get the best flavor of your sage, harvest it before flowering. Stop harvesting it at least two weeks before the frost begins to protect the new shoots from damage.

Nonetheless, you can have your sage for several years before growing a fresh one. When it starts to produce woody and less tasteful leaves, it’s time to get a new plant.

5. Rosemary

Rosemary defends arugula from the common cabbage whites pests. Rosemary is an intensely aromatic herb that prefers a few dry conditions but grows very well together with the arugula plant.

What you must know when keeping them both is that both of them can survive in pots or on the farm, making it easy to pair them in your next growing season. However, using compost manure when growing these two helps with the slow intake of nutrients throughout their growing season, as they would receive proper nutrients.

Rosemary takes about six months from planting to maturity, which is longer than that of arugula. Nonetheless, you would also get to harvest this herb for many years.

6. Swiss chard

Grow arugula and swiss chard together, and you have an instant salad. These two are excellent and thrive together in well-moisturized soils. Note that swiss chard is easy to grow and a biennial. In its second season, it flowers, producing some yellowish blooms.

Compost manure is the best for swiss chard to provide it with nutrients throughout its growing period. Swiss chard matures around 50 to 60 days, the same as arugula. It’s best to harvest when the leaves are still glossy.

7. Peas

Peas are tall growing but still do well when growing together with arugula. Peas are also nitrogen fixers that you can grow with arugula to supplement nitrogen levels in your soil, this is how they would receive their proper nutrients together.

Whatever type of peas you choose to grow – sugar snap peas or snow peas are excellent for companion planting. These two crops mature around the same time, with peas taking about 60 days.

8. Radish

Both radish and arugula are of the brassica family. Growing these two together as companions keeps the flea beetle away. Even if it were to attack, it would destroy the radish leaves instead.

If you are in a beetle-prone area, the best way to protect your arugula is to grow it together with radish that will keep them busy eating their leaves.

Radish grows faster, maturing at three to four weeks maximum. It is one of the best to interplant as it grows faster, leaving the radish to ripen later. This way, you get to maximize your vegetable garden space.

9. Lettuce

Lettuce and arugula growing together is one big salad! Lettuce prefers cooler growing conditions making it an excellent companion for arugula.

Lettuce is ready for harvesting a few weeks after planting, making it a fast grower than arugula. You can grow these two in one container or outdoors as they won’t compete for space or nutrients. Both thrive when you grow them in the spring after the soil warms up to protect the seed from damage.

10. Thyme

Growing thyme together with arugula attracts many beneficial insects to your farm. These insects keep off pests that love to feast on arugula. Thyme has the power to keep off cabbage worms, whiteflies, corn earworms, and tomato hornworms.

Thyme is a much-loved herb that is perennial and enjoys well-draining soils. It is a companion plant to many other crops with the same growing conditions. Thyme comes back every year and produces fresh leaves for harvest.

11. Mint

Mint has a strong aroma that helps disguise the arugula from damaging pests like cabbage whites. However, be careful not to plant mint too close to the arugula as it tends to choke them out because they are small. They would keep the pests away, and both of them won’t be harmed in any way.

Anything in the mint family is excellent for companion planting deterring all pests. Mint leaves are ready for harvest 30 days after. Harvest mint often to keep it growing. Cut the mint stems back to a pair of leaves to encourage new branching.

12. Asparagus

Growing asparagus with arugula provides it with much-needed shade during the hot season. Asparagus is a perennial that thrives in companion planting. They take two or three years to mature and remain productive for about 10 to 15 years.

Arugula will mature earlier than the asparagus, and you can plant them a couple of times as companions until the asparagus season expires. It adds essential nutrients to the soil for asparagus to slowly take in during its growing season.

13. Onions

Onions growing as companions with arugula acts as a shield from the cabbage whites and aphids. It keeps these pests from laying eggs on them and multiplying.

When growing these two together, place the arugula plant in between onion rows. Onions thrive in cool weather conditions and are planted in the spring. In addition, you can sow them in the fall, but they will remain dormant throughout the winter. 

Furthermore, onions are heavy feeders and require fertilizing every few weeks with a high nitrogen fertilizer supporting leaf growth. This is an advantage to the arugula that will need nitrogen leaf growth.

14. Cucumbers

Cucumbers grow upwards, allowing a lot of free space for arugula to grow. The leaf spread also helps cover the companion protecting it from direct sunlight that could be too harsh for these fleshy plants. Here, you must note that too much sun makes the arugula bolt, so the cover coming from the cucumbers will be quite helpful.

Cucumbers thrive under cool growing conditions, the same as arugula. You will need to add a trellis to support your cucumber to grow upright and hold the fruits. Provide rich, well-drained soils for both to thrive.

Cucumbers are ready in 50 to 70 days, the same period as arugula, which takes 50 days. You can start harvesting arugula at 35 days even as the cucumbers grow.

15. Cilantro

You can grow cilantro at the same time as arugula. Both of them appreciate more excellent growing conditions. Cilantro will attract pollinators with its flowers and deter pests that come to destroy arugula.

Cilantro’s strong smell wards off aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and Colorado potato beetles. It is natural pest control on your farm.

Cilantro is ready for harvest in 30 days. Therefore, it will mature before the arugula, leaving it to grow independently. If you only harvest the cilantro leaves instead of uprooting them young, you will reap for a longer time.

16. Chives

Chives are in the onion and garlic class growing them. They help keep off pests from damaging the arugula plant. They have a strong aroma that deters the whiteflies and cabbage whites from destroying arugula.

The chives flowers attract pollinators that are beneficial to your farm. This greenery is perennial and thrives even when grown alone or with others.

Plant chives in the spring and harvest them 30 days after transplanting or 60 days after sowing the seeds. These two require the same growing conditions and mature around the same time.

17. Beans

Beans are nitrogen-fixing plants that are beneficial to grow as arugula companion plants. They fix nitrogen in the air and soil, making companions thrive better. They also provide shade to keep the fleshy leaves from bolting early.

Beans thrive in cooler weather, with compost manure slowly releasing the required nutrients. Note that beans mature seven to eight weeks after planting them in the spring. You can harvest them for three weeks from the date of maturity.

18. Carrots

The space around carrot rows is ideal for growing arugula as it matures faster. You get to save space on your farm and harvest two crops at a go.

The leafy part of the carrots provides shade for the arugula, which is why they wouldn’t get harmed or even face sunburn. It is a suitable companion plant for many others that thrive in cool growing conditions.

19. Chamomile

Chamomile is an excellent tonic for any companion plant growing near it. It attracts good pollinators, including bees, hoverflies, and wasps. These pollinators keep away any pests like cabbage whites that love to feast on arugula.

Chamomile’s strong scent is a bonus in conquering all pests from destroying arugula. You get to harvest chamomile two months from planting with possible repeated harvests.

20. Beets

Beets and arugula do well when growing together. They keep arugula protected from the hot sun, which causes it to bolt early.

Beets grow differently with arugula, meaning they will peacefully share the space you provide. Beets mature in about 55 to 70 days.

You can harvest the beet greens once they reach three to four inches tall. They are most tender when they get six inches. They can be added to salad greens or cooked.

21. Basil

Basil can grow as companions with arugula, like many other herbs. These herbs deter the common arugula pests from destroying the arugula. Both thrive in rich, moist, and well-drained soils.

Compost manure is also a great addition, providing adequate nitrogen to necessitate leaf growth. Provide sufficient watering to keep the soils moist but not waterlogged. Basil is ready for harvesting three to four weeks after planting.

22. Garlic

Garlic is easy to grow with little to no care.  If you grow it every season, you might have enough to stock up and not buy.  Store the garlic heads in the kitchen when they are appropriately cured to prevent rotting.  Keep them away from moisture. Garlic is in the same class as onions, leeks, shallots, chives, and scallions.

It grows throughout winter and is a great crop for companion planting.  It is excellent for keeping your farm in production all year round.  Pests hate the smell of garlic, so rest assured they will not come near your farm.  It matures in about eight months and can last many months after maturity.

Conclusion

The 22 arugula companion plants in the list above are all beneficial vegetables or herbs you can grow. The most important aspect is that they share the same growing conditions that allow them to grow together quickly.

If you want to raise a garden that feeds you fresh salad, lettuce, swiss chard, radish, or cucumber should be on top of your list. What a delight to enjoy a fresh salad straight from your farm!