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If you are starting to grow cauliflower in your home garden you might be wondering: What is a good companion plant for cauliflower? In this article, we go over good companion plants for cauliflower and what vegetables should not be planted with cauliflower. So if you find yourself growing one of the many types of cauliflower that can be grown in your garden, find out what to plant with it to help it thrive.
Companion planting is used for many garden vegetable crops, flowers, and herbs. It can be used to add nutrients to the soil, help keep unwanted bugs away, bring in beneficial insects to help control harmful insects, and to help attract pollinators. Companion plants can also enhance the flavor of some crops or ward off disease or fungus in the soil.
It is always a good idea to use companion planting in the garden when possible to reap the benefits of companion plants without needing to bring in harmful chemicals.
Good Companion Plants for Cauliflower
- Beans
- Beets
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chamomile
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Coneflowers (Echinacea)
- Garlic
- Mint
- Onions
- Parsley
- Rhubarb
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Spinach
- Thyme
Beans will not only add nitrogen to the soil to benefit cauliflower. But when used as a companion plant for cauliflower both the beans and the cauliflower deter unwanted pests and attract insects that can benefit each of the plant combo. If you are looking for some beans to grow with cauliflower check out the different types of green beans you can grow in your garden.
Companion Plants for Green Beans
Celery is another companion crop for cauliflower that will attract insects that will provide benefits. Celery will also not compete for nutrients in the soil with cauliflower.
Chamomile helps improve the taste of cauliflower when planted with cauliflower.
Garlic can help keep unwanted pests away from nearby cauliflower. It is also a space saving companion plant when planted with cauliflower as garlic doesn’t take up much space.
Mint, when used as a companion crop, can help keep away pests and harmful insects. However when growing mint as a companion plant make sure to grow your mint in a container as it can easily overtake a garden by growing too much.
Onions and Chives should only be used as a companion crop for cauliflower if you are not using beans as a companion plant, as beans and onions do not make good companion crops.
Companion Plants for Onions
Parsley helps attract beneficial insects that can help control cabbage worms and cutworms.
Rhubarb is a good companion crop with any plant in the Brassica Family because it can help keep whiteflies and cabbage worms away.
Rosemary and Sage are herbs that can help repel unwanted pests and harmful insects.
Spinach is a crop that works well as a companion plant because it allows you to save space. So this can be a great companion crop for cauliflower especially if you have a small garden. Find out what else you can plant with spinach here.
What Not To Plant With Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Dill
- Horseradish
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Peppers
- Radishes
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and Cabbage are all part of the same family as cauliflower. Therefore it is best to keep these crops separate as they attract the same pests and diseases.
Corn casts too much shade to allow cauliflower growing with it to thrive. Find out what companion plants are good for corn here.
Dill can help lure cabbage moths and cabbage worms that like to prey on cauliflower away from your growing cauliflower when planted a good distance away from a cauliflower crop.
Peas, when used as a companion crop to cauliflower, can stunt the growth of cauliflower if used as a companion plant for cauliflower.
Strawberries attract slugs, which are not good for cauliflower. Strawberries can also affect the growth of cauliflower growing near it.
Tomatoes and Peppers will compete for nutrients in the soil, this will affect the ability for both crops to do well.
Companion Plants for Tomatoes
Frequently Asked Questions About Companion Planting for Cauliflower
While you can plant carrots and cauliflower together, there are other crops that will benefit cauliflower better than carrots.
Cucumbers and cauliflower can be planted together. While they don’t provide any direct benefits to each other, the ideal conditions that cucumbers and cauliflower prefer are the same, that makes them good neighbors in the garden.
Lettuce doesn’t do well next to many of the Brassica family as plants in this family secrete a chemical that can keep lettuce seeds from germinating.
Related Reading:
Companion Plants for Broccoli
Companion Plants for Brussels Sprouts
Companion Plants for Cucumbers
