Cabbage Companion Plants

Getting the most from your cabbage patch means thinking about who you plant next to it. Choosing the right cabbage companion plants can make a huge difference in your garden’s health and yield. These pairings help deter pests, improve soil, and make the best use of your space. Let’s look at how you can use these beneficial relationships to grow stronger, happier cabbages with less work for you.

Companion planting is like creating a supportive neighborhood for your vegetables. For cabbages, which can be bothered by pests like cabbage worms and aphids, good neighbors provide real benefits. They can mask the cabbage’s scent, attract helpful insects, or even improve the flavor of your heads. It’s a natural way to garden smarter.

Why Companion Planting Works for Cabbage

Cabbages are part of the brassica family. They have specific needs and common enemies. The right companions adress these directly.

Pest Confusion: Strong-smelling herbs and flowers can hide the scent of cabbages, making them harder for pests to find.
Beneficial Insect Attraction: Flowers like dill and marigolds bring in insects that eat cabbage pests.
Soil Improvement: Some plants add nutrients back into the soil that cabbages can use later.
Space Efficiency: Low-growing plants use the space between slow-maturing cabbage heads, supressing weeds.

Top Companion Plants for Cabbage

Here are the most effective plants to grow alongside your cabbages, grouped by the benifit they provide.

Herbs for Pest Repellent

Dill: Attracts wasps that prey on cabbage worms. Its tall, airy structure doesn’t compete for space.
Rosemary & Sage: Their strong scents repel cabbage moths and flea beetles. Plant them at the corners of your cabbage bed.
Mint: Excellent for repelling ants and cabbage moths. Be sure to plant mint in a container sunk into the soil, as it spreads aggressively.
Thyme: A low-growing ground cover that deters cabbage worms.

Flowers as Protectors

Nasturtiums: A classic trap crop. Aphids and cabbage whites prefer them over your cabbages. Plant them around the border.
Marigolds: Their roots release a substance that suppresses nematodes in the soil. French marigolds are particularly effective.
Calendula: Attracts a variety of beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which eat aphids.

Vegetable Bedfellows

Onions, Leeks, and Chives: Their pungent smell masks the cabbage’s scent from many pests. They also have shallow roots.
Beets & Spinach: These are light feeders and grow quickly, providing a leafy ground cover without competing heavily for nutrients.
Celery: Some gardeners find it helps repel the white cabbage butterfly.
Beans: Bush beans are a good choice, as they can add nitrogen to the soil, which heavy-feeding cabbages appreciate.

Plants to Avoid Near Cabbage

Just as some plants help, others can hinder. Avoid planting these near your cabbage patch:

Strawberries: They are heavy feeders and can compete directly with cabbages for nutrients, leading to smaller heads.
Tomatoes: They attract similar pests and are also heavy feeders, creating too much competition.
Grapes: Cabbage can negatively effect the growth of grape vines, according to some older gardening traditions.
Other Brassicas: Don’t plant broccoli, cauliflower, or kale right next to cabbage. They share all the same pests and diseases, making it easy for problems to spread.

How to Plan Your Cabbage Companion Layout

Planning is key to success. Follow these steps for a thriving bed.

Start with a Map: Sketch your garden bed on paper. Cabbages need about 18-24 inches between plants.
Place Your Cabbages: Mark where each cabbage head will go in your sketch, allowing for their full size.
Add Herbs and Flowers: Place pest-repellent herbs like sage or rosemary at the north end so they don’t shade the cabbages. Plant a border of marigolds or nasturtiums around the whole bed.
Interplant Quick Crops: In the spaces between young cabbages, sow seeds for spinach or beets. You’ll harvest these before the cabbages need the room.
Include Alliums: Dot onions or chives between every few cabbage plants for ongoing scent protection.

Common Cabbage Pests and Companion Solutions

Here’s how your companion plants directly combat specific issues.

Cabbage Worm & Cabbage Looper

These green caterpillars are the larvae of white butterflies and moths. They chew large holes in leaves.

Companion Solution: Plant dill, celery, and thyme to repel the egg-laying adults. Nasturtiums act as a trap crop.

Aphids

Tiny sap-sucking insects that cluster on stems and undersides of leaves.

Companion Solution: Calendula and dill attract hoverflies and ladybugs, which are voracious aphid eaters. Nasturtiums, again, lure them away.

Flea Beetles

These tiny black beetles jump and create a “shot-hole” pattern in leaves.

Companion Solution: Strong-smelling herbs like mint and sage help confuse and repel them. A thick ground cover of spinach can also make it harder for them to reach the soil where they pupate.

Seasonal Tips for Success

Your companion planting strategy should change slightly with the seasons.

Spring Planting: Focus on quick-growing companions like spinach and beets to maximize space before cabbages mature. Transplant sturdy herbs from starts.
Fall Harvest: For overwintering cabbages, plant strong pest deterrents like rosemary and sage, as pest pressure can be high in late summer when you plant them.
Year-Round: Consider planting perennial companions like chives or sage near your designated brassica beds for long-term benifit.

FAQ: Cabbage Companion Planting

What is the best companion plant for cabbage?

There isn’t one single “best,” but aromatic herbs like dill and sage, along with flowers like nasturtiums and marigolds, are among the most effective for pest control.

Can I plant lettuce with cabbage?

Yes, lettuce is a fine companion. It’s a light feeder, grows quickly, and provides ground cover. Just ensure it doesn’t get shaded out as the cabbage grows to large.

How far apart should companion plants be from cabbage?

It depends on the plant. Low-growing crops like spinach can be 6-8 inches away. Larger herbs like rosemary should be at least 12-18 inches away to avoid root competition and shading.

Do marigolds really help cabbage?

Absolutely. Marigolds help control harmful nematodes in the soil and their scent may deter above-ground pests. They are a must-have for many vegetable gardeners.

What should you not plant next to cabbage?

Avoid other heavy feeders like tomatoes and strawberries, as well as other brassicas (broccoli, kale, etc.) to prevent pest and disease spread.

Using cabbage companion plants is a simple, natural strategy that yields great results. By carefully selecting neighbors that repel pests, attract benefical insects, and use space wisely, you create a resilient garden ecosystem. Start with a few pairings like cabbage with onions and marigolds, and observe the difference. You’ll likely find your cabbages are healthier, your pest problems smaller, and your harvest more abundant with this time-tested approach.