20 Cabbage Companion Plants: Helping Its Growth

Cabbage companion plants are ones that would aim to help and protect cabbages from pests, provides nutrients, and increase yield.

Cabbage is particularly well-suited to companion planting, as it can be grown with a variety of other vegetables and herbs.

This companion planting guide contains some of the most beneficial plants to help you grow cabbage in an abundant amount.

Different Kinds of Cabbage Companion Plants

1. Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a powerhouse of nutrition, containing noteworthy amounts of vitamins and minerals such as iron and calcium. In addition to its nutritional value, this leafy green can be used as a companion plant to protect the cabbage crops from the ravages of insects and disease. 

This companion planting will help by reducing the number of pathogens in contact with cabbages. But of course you must also take care of it properly, which means that it would have to be placed next to the cabbage where both will be given similar requirements such as full to partial shaded sun, and a medium fertile soil. However, you must also be cautious of the pests that it would attract, which are some beetles, caterpillars, and different worms. 

2. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts and cabbage are two of the most popular crops that exhibit the properties of being a good companion in both home and a professional vegetable garden. As members of the brassica family, these two plants derive many benefits from being planted nearby, including mutual disease prevention and improved food production. 

From a practical perspective, their similar growth habits help them to occupy shared resources efficiently. They would be looking like a cabbage crop, but they would grow on a thick stem and the little vegetables would be shooting from all the ends of it. Make sure that you would provide it with the right soil, which is a well draining one, and you will see it grow from the spring to summer in a prosperous way. 

3. Potatoes

The potato is an excellent companion plant for cabbage, providing numerous beneficial advantages. It can suppress bacterial soft rot in cabbage and can improve nutrient uptake by producing large amounts of nitrogen-fixing nodules on its roots, allowing increased growth and production of the crop. Make sure you would provide it in a good condition where the sun is bright in that location, and the soil is fertile. 

Furthermore, potatoes can act as a living mulch when planted around the base of cabbage crops, and you will be harvesting them from winter all way to spring. However, make sure that you would be mindful about the pests that it would face, such as grubs, weevils, and even some worms. On the other hand, cabbage would be a good source, as it won’t let any further pests to attack it.

4. Onions

Onion is an effective companion plant for cabbage, as it invigorates growth and helps to repel pests. The strong smell of the onion acts as a deterrent to pests such as aphids and caterpillars that can damage cabbage crops. 

Additionally, it is commonly known as onions will provide the abundant nitrogen-rich organic matter in soils which will benefit vegetables like cabbage. Which means, they share common properties and would help each other in the growing conditions, as the onions would start to shoot their green stems and it would be ready for harvest in such a short time. 

5. Peas

Peas add nitrogen, a key element in root development, to the soil with their deep roots, while the dense foliage of cabbages helps protect peas from harsh winds and direct sunlight. When these plants grow together, this helps deter them from damaging either crop. 

Companion planting is a great choice if you are going with placing peas alongside cabbage encourages a healthy environment overall and can significantly reduce input costs associated with pest management products. However, when they are growing, you should inspect if there is any kind of pest infestation, such as army worms, leaf miners, and beetles growing around these greens, and aim to tackle them.

6. Celery

Celery is an excellent companion plant for cabbage due to its ability to repel cabbage pests and increase essential oils in the surrounding soil. This is such a nice companion that you would have to invest in, because it is highly beneficial, however, you should make sure that it would grow well and thrive, which is why placing it in a rich and fertile soil is what boosts the growth. 

These flavor greens contains naturally occurring compounds called furanocoumarins, which serve as a feeding deterrent for many insect species that commonly target cabbages, hence you are protecting your crops. In addition, celery can also improve the flavor and aroma of cabbage plants when planted nearby, no matter the vegetation.

7. Beets

Beets attract beneficial insects that help protect the cabbage from common garden pests such as lady beetles, or even some lacewings. Moreover, since they tend to grow above ground, and this is how the beets try to help and keep the air around the cabbage seedlings cool, providing them with better insulation from extreme temperatures. 

Also, remember that these plants can then be harvested before full maturity and used as mulch or composted directly in the soil, which would be in spring. Remember that these vegetables are rooted ones, which means that they would get their proper nutrients from the soil, hence the soil must be a fertile one, so that it would establish itself and shoot the leaves upwards and grow. 

8. Buckwheat

Buckwheat is an effective companion plant for cabbage, as it attracts beneficial insects such as ground beetles, carabids, and hoverflies into the garden, while simultaneously preventing pest infestations. As a cover crop, buckwheat also suppresses weeds and enriches the soil with nitrogen to promote healthy cabbage growth, and it would be very beneficial for your vegetative garden and its thrive. 

In addition to these benefits, buckwheat serves as an ornamental addition to the garden that can attract pollinators, and they would help in the growth and establishment. What you must worry when cultivating them is the wire worms, or the aphids that may start growing along.

9. Beans

Beans are a great companion plant for cabbage since the beans’ roots fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps to increase fertility. Additionally, beans act as an attractant for beneficial predatory insects such as lacewings, ladybugs, and hover fly larvae, which help control harmful pests like leaf hoppers. 

Furthermore, inter-planting beans with cabbage have been shown to have mutual benefits. As beans are known to be ones that would thrive in a full and sunny location, as they should be lifted because they vine, and when they do so, it would provide proper shade for the other plants. Moreover, you should also remember that the soil of this crop should be a well draining one, which means you shouldn’t over water it, as the plant would face different issues. 

10. Coriander

Coriander is a great companion plant for cabbages, as it helps to deter pests such as root-knot nematodes. Furthermore, when planted near cabbages, coriander provides additional benefits such as increasing cabbage yields, improving cabbage flavor profile, enhancing soil health, and maintaining soil fertility so that it would grow well. 

Additionally, by attracting beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings to the garden, coriander can help protect surrounding plants, because these pests would help in the growth of the plants simultaneously. 

11. Borage

Borage is an excellent companion plant for cabbage due to its ability to repel certain pests, add beneficial micronutrients to the soil, and attract beneficial pollinators. In spring, you would see this plant thriving and it would start to show its beautiful blue flowers. 

 Borage encourages predators such as hover fly larvae that feed on cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, discouraging them from laying eggs in or near the brassica plants, and this is a matter you should be cautious on. Additionally, it packs a punch of nutrients that enrich the surrounding soil.

12. Chamomile

Chamomile is an ideal companion plant for cabbage due to the numerous benefits it offers, and it looks very graceful with its little flowers and tripinnate leaves. It repels pests, such as whiteflies, that can damage cabbages and other brassicas by filling the air with a strong scent. 

It also produces nectar for beneficial species like hoverflies, bees, and wasps, and these are pollinators that are known to be encouraging the growth of plants, in general, hence in spring and summer, you would see them growing. These features make chamomile an excellent companion planting choice for healthy and productive cabbage production, make sure they are located in a full to partially sunny area, and water them an inch when the soil feels dry.

13. Marigolds

Marigolds are a great companion for planting cabbage in your garden as they not only add beauty to your garden but also provide many practical benefits. Marigolds contain natural compounds that help deter unwanted pests such as aphids and nematodes. 

They also provide essential ecosystem services such as pollination. Additionally, these flowers secrete allelopathic chemicals that suppress the growth of some pathogens, and it also deters and repels different animals from attacking and eating your cabbages, such as deer and rabbits. Hence, when you plant them, they would keep both pests and wild animals away from the rest of the garden, too. 

14. Hyssop

Hyssop is a highly beneficial companion herb to plant cabbage with it as it repels aphids and other insect pests which can cause significant damage to the cabbage. Additionally, growing Hyssop in the same bed encourages better yields of both plants, which means the soil must be a well-draining, or a loamy one, it could also have a pH ranging from 6.8 to 8.5 in its acidity, and the sun should be bright and directly on it. 

When using organic control methods such as planting companion herbs, it is important to match the environment in the best possible way by avoiding monocultures. This would show you how the plant is beneficial to your garden, but be mindful that it may have attacks from maggots, beetles, and slugs.

15. Dill

Dill is an excellent companion plant for cabbage. Its strong, fragrant leaves attract beneficial insects and discourage pests that may otherwise feed on cabbage. It has a fern like shape, that would start its massive growth in spring and summer seasons when the sun is warm enough to encourage its growth. 

In addition, these herbs are also prone to help regulate the soil’s pH level and adds significant nutrients, such as calcium and iron, to the soil that encourage healthy growth in other nearby plants. What you should also remember is that since it has an aroma that would be released in the air, the latter would improve the flavor of certain varieties of cabbage while providing protection.

16. Nasturtiums

Nasturtium helps to repel pests, and the bright yellow flowers can distract attention away from more vulnerable plants. When you grow them, they would start attracting pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds, and this way through their nectar, the plant would grow well and thrive from spring, till the midst of fall. 

Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but nasturtiums also attract beneficial insects, such as lacewings, which feed on harmful pests like white flies. Thus, when the white flies come around cabbages, they would become weak, because of the aroma of this plant, in precise. 

17. Tansy

Tansy is commonly used as a companion plant for cabbage as cabbage grows in the same environment as tansy. The thick foliage of tansy protects young cabbages from extreme weather events such as hailstorms, in addition to deterring weeds due to its dense mat of deep green leaves. 

Furthermore, tansy acts as a natural fertilizer when decomposed. Knowing the latter, it would signify how this plant is rich in different nutrients, and in order to grow well and to attain this characteristic, it also needs to be placed in a soil that is already organic and fertile. 

18. Rosemary

Rosemary is an ideal companion plant for cabbage, as it provides benefits that can help ensure a successful cabbage crop. Specifically, rosemary can improve soil health and help control the levels of humidity in the area of planting, and make sure that you wouldn’t water it excessively because it may damage the roots. 

In addition to providing these benefits, rosemary also has an attractive aroma that can help mask the smell of other nearby crops or fertilizers with unpleasant odors. Hence, it would repel the unnecessary or harmful pests away.

19. Thyme

Thyme is a culinary and medicinal herb native to the Mediterranean region, and one of the most popular companion plants for cabbage. When planted near cabbages, thyme helps naturally repel common pests like cabbage moths and flea beetles. On the same note, this herb is known for its aromatic qualities, that have been demonstrated to reduce competition from neighboring weeds due to its strong scent.

20. Yarrow

Yarrow is a beneficial companion plant for cabbage, providing numerous positive ecological interactions with this cruciferous vegetable. Known for its drought and heat tolerance, yarrow helps create an optimal growing environment by suppressing weed growth. 

Yarrow enhances nutrient levels in the soil due to its deep taproots. It also serves as a natural fungicide when grown nearby, because of the strong scent that it has. The scent of these flowers have also been used as a natural repellent against deer and other wild animals too, because they would not longer aim to eat the vegetables in your garden, and in this case, the cabbages.

Conclusion

We hope that the gardening tips we have provided in this post on cabbage companion plants will help you make wonderful cabbage and other vegetable gardens.

Here is a quick summary of the plants:

• Potatoes, celery, dills etc. can provide useful nutrients to cabbage plants.
• Borages, buckwheat, and other plants can attract useful pollinators for cabbages.
• Yarrow are plants that can work to repel different types of cabbage pests.

All in all, you can easily make an incredible garden if you keep these benefits in mind. Remember that these plants are ones that would add value to your garden especially to your cabbage crops. 

• Author
• Recent Posts

Evergreen Seeds

If you are looking for help gardening you’ve come to the right place! We love gardening and we want to share this love with you. Join our dynamic garden community.

Latest posts by Evergreen Seeds (see all)

• How Long Do Hibiscus Flowers Last: Ways To Elongate - May 24, 2023
• Aeroponics vs. Hydroponics: Comparison of Two Planting Ways - May 24, 2023
• Monstera Deliciosa Light Requirements: The Ideal Conditions - May 21, 2023