Cauliflower can be enjoyed in so many ways: dipped in ranch dressing, sauteed, in a stir fry as a rice substitute, and even to make pizza crusts. With so many options for this versatile plant, you’ll need to grow your own just to try them all! You might assume you don’t have room for them since they can grow so large, but many companion plants don’t mind being next to the cauliflower.
You’ll need to choose plants that like a lot of water and don’t need the same nutrients as cauliflower. Since these brassicas are heavy feeders, they should be fertilized regularly throughout the season. There are many ways to incorporate other plants into your cauliflower patch that will benefit or tolerate cauliflower nearby.
I will show you 15 companion plants you can grow with cauliflower so you can use all your garden space. There’s no need to let rogue cauliflower leaves take over!
Cauliflower is a cool weather crop that can be a bit tricky to grow successfully. However, you can improve your chances by using companion planting strategies. Certain plants just seem to thrive better when grown next to each other. By pairing cauliflower with plants that enhance its growth or deter pests, you can maximize your harvest.
Why Companion Planting Matters
Companion planting is the process of strategically planting different crops together so they can benefit each other. It’s based on the idea that certain plants simply grow better together
Some companion plants help by
- Deterring pests or attracting beneficial insects
- Providing shade or support
- Improving flavor
- Enhancing growth
By mimicking natural plant relationships, companion planting improves the biodiversity and health of your garden. It allows you to get more out of your space by planting densely without plants competing for resources.
Best Companion Plants for Cauliflower
Here are some of the best options for companion planting with cauliflower:
Celery
Celery helps repel the cabbage moth, which is devastating to cauliflower. Its aromatic leaves create a protective barrier that keeps this pest at bay. Celery and cauliflower also have similar needs, thriving in cool weather and nutrient-rich soil.
Beans
Beans are able to replenish the soil with nitrogen through a process called nitrogen fixation. This is incredibly beneficial for heavy feeders like cauliflower that need a lot of nitrogen. Planting beans around your cauliflower provides this nutrient boost.
Spinach and Chard
These leafy greens provide ground cover and moisture retention around cauliflower. Their shade creates an ideal cool environment for cauliflower roots. They won’t compete for nutrients either since they have different nutritional needs.
Sage and Thyme
The strong scent of these herbs helps mask the scent of cauliflower to pests. Their flowers also attract pollinators. Sage deters cabbage moths, worms, and flea beetles.
Marigolds
The pungent odor of marigolds repels aphids, cabbage moths, and other cauliflower pests. Their flowers also bring in beneficial pollinators, improving plant health.
Beets
Beets make great neighbors for cauliflower. Their bulbous roots develop deep in the soil while cauliflower roots stay near the surface. The greens provide added ground cover and nutrients.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic planted near cauliflower help repel pests like cabbage loopers, aphids, and rabbits that can damage the crop. Their strong scent masks and confuses pests.
Plants to Avoid Near Cauliflower
Some plants are not suitable companions and should be kept separate from cauliflower:
- Strawberries – Attract slugs that can damage cauliflower
- Tomatoes – Compete for nutrients
- Corn – Shade out cauliflower
- Cucumbers – Require a lot of nutrients
- Peas – Stunt cauliflower growth
- Beans – Attract the same pests
##Making the Most of Companion Planting
By filling your garden with strategic companion plants for cauliflower, you can maximize your growing space and improve your harvest.
Some key tips:
- Use taller companion plants like corn or sunflowers for shade
- Include heavy nitrogen feeders like beans to improve soil
- Plant aromatic herbs and flowers to deter pests
- Include ground covers like spinach for weed suppression
- Pay attention to sun exposure needs for each plant
With a little planning, you can create a thriving cauliflower patch surrounded by plants that enhance its growth, health, and pest resilience. Happy companion planting!
Cauliflower as Companion Plants
I used to think you couldn’t plant anything with cauliflower because of how big the leaves can grow. But these plants can still be good neighbors even if they occupy a lot of space. Let’s look at what you can expect with these cole crops around.
Most of the cauliflower plant is above ground, meaning it doesn’t take up much space below the surface. You can utilize that space by planting crops that need plenty of soil, like potatoes or beets. The cauliflower leaves can help protect roots and tubers as they develop.
Cauliflower doesn’t need a lot of the same nutrients as its companions, so it won’t have to compete for them as much. However, they need a lot of nitrogen, so you’ll still need to fertilize them throughout the growing season.
I associate cauliflower (and the rest of the Brassica bunch) with pests. They’re susceptible to cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, cabbage root maggots, armyworms, aphids, cucumber beetles, snails, slugs, flea beetles, and thrips. Nearly every plant is susceptible to something, but it seems like cauliflower attracts pests that eat up a lot of its companions, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for pest invasions.
Cauliflower needs 1-2 inches of water each week, which may limit what you can plant nearby. If you choose a companion that also likes water, you must provide even more water for the thirsty plants in that small area. Keeping companion plants in containers nearby is a good way to make sense of your watering schedule. Companion planting can lead to better brassica harvests!
What Is Companion Planting?
Companion planting can result in reduced pests, enhanced growth, and reputed better flavor.
Plants work better together, and anyone who uses companion planting in their garden knows it. Different plant varieties in the same space can benefit each other in ways that will help reduce pests, increase growth, and sometimes even enhance the flavor. Most importantly, companion planting improves biodiversity by bringing in more pollinators and beneficial insects.
Companion planting allows you to extend your growing seasons beyond what you’d normally do without it. A garden bed dedicated to lettuce will bolt in late spring or early summer, but when large plants like tomatoes or sunflowers protect those heads of lettuce, they can last a little longer because they aren’t suffering under the summer sun.
This gardening method can benefit farmers with several acres of land, a small container garden on a balcony, and every garden size in between.
5 Top TIPS How to Grow BIG Cauliflower Heads at Home
FAQ
What should not be planted near cauliflower?
Broccoli and cauliflower won’t do well near peppers, tomatoes, squashes, or strawberries. Technically if you really enrich your soil they can be friends, but in general, brassicas soak up all the nutrients in the soil which makes it hard for other nutrient-needing plants to thrive.
What pairs well with cauliflower in the garden?
Allium plants, like garlic, onions, and chives, are top-notch cauliflower companion plants if you want to keep pests at bay. These plants contain sulfur compounds that mask the scent of nearby cauliflower and other crops that pests love. The scent of alliums also repels deer, aphids, and cabbage loopers.
What can I plant next to broccoli and cauliflower?
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Celery:Celery’s scent can deter pests that bother broccoli and cauliflower, and they share similar growing needs.
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Lettuce:Lettuce thrives in the same cool conditions as brassicas, and it can be harvested long before the broccoli or cauliflower, making it a good interplant.
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Dill:Dill can act as a natural pest deterrent for brassicas, and its strong scent can mask the smell of the plants, which can confuse pests.
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Rosemary:Rosemary’s scent is a natural deterrent for pests like cabbage moths, which can be a major nuisance for these plants.
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Marigolds:Marigolds are known for their ability to repel nematodes and other pests, and they attract beneficial insects.
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Nasturtiums:Nasturtiums are another excellent choice for deterring pests like aphids and whiteflies.
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Sage:Sage is believed to repel cabbageworm and rustfly and is often grown alongside broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots.
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Beets:Beets can be planted around broccoli and cauliflower, as they don’t need a lot of sun and will grow in shade.
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Carrots:Carrots and broccoli both prefer similar growing conditions, and their root systems occupy different soil levels, reducing competition for nutrients.
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Spinach:Spinach grows well in the shade of other plants, which can help keep them cool when the weather starts warming up.
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Onions:Onions can be planted around broccoli and cauliflower, as they deter aphids.
Can you plant cauliflower and cucumbers together?
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Resource Competition:Cauliflower, like other brassicas, is a heavy water drinker and can compete with cucumbers for water and nutrients in the soil.
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Pest Attraction:Brassicas can attract pests like flea beetles and cabbage worms, which can also damage cucumber plants.
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Plant Families:Cauliflower belongs to the brassica family (like cabbage, broccoli, etc.), while cucumbers belong to the cucurbit family (like squash, zucchini, etc.).
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Alternatives:If you’re looking for good companion plants for cucumbers, consider herbs like mint, marigolds, or basil, or other vegetables like lettuce, onions, or beans.