Raspberries are gems in the garden, and to help them thrive, pay attention to what you plant nearby—by companion planting for raspberries, you might just get a bigger harvest.
Whether you are planning to grow wild raspberries or cultivated varieties, you want the plants to thrive and produce abundant fruit. One way to help the plants along is to pay attention to what crops and plants are located near the raspberry bushes.
Learn more about what plants are great companions to your rows of raspberry canes and which plants should never come near them.
Raspberries are a delicious and rewarding fruit to grow in any garden However, to get a bountiful berry harvest, it’s important to plant the right companion plants near your raspberry canes Certain plants can help deter pests, attract pollinators, improve soil health, and allow you to maximize garden space.
In this article, we’ll explore 12 of the best companion plants for raspberries and explain why they are beneficial neighbors in the garden.
Why Companion Planting Matters
Companion planting is the practice of strategically planting different crops together so they can help each other thrive It has been used by gardeners for centuries and is based on the observation that certain plant pairings just seem to grow better together,
For example, pairing tall plants with short plants allows you to use vertical space efficiently Or planting pest-deterring plants near more vulnerable crops can provide a living shield.
When it comes to growing raspberries, companion planting can:
- Attract pollinators to improve fruit production
- Repel or trap insect pests
- Enrich soil with nutrients or organic matter
- Provide structural support for climbing canes
- Maximize use of garden space
So by picking the right companion plants, you can help your raspberry canes stay strong, healthy, and productive season after season.
12 Excellent Raspberry Companion Plants
Here are 12 of the best companion plants to grow near raspberry bushes:
1. Garlic
Garlic is one of the most powerful insect-repelling plants you can grow. Its strong scent deters aphids, beetles, borers, and other harmful pests. Interplanting garlic around your raspberry canes helps protect them from infestation without using pesticides.
2. Marigolds
Bright and cheery marigolds are a garden favorite for their ability to control nematodes and other soil-dwelling pests. Their roots also exude an antifungal compound that suppresses diseases. Plant them around raspberries to protect roots and deter pests.
3. Chives
As an edible herb, chives serve double duty as a pest deterrent and a seasoning for berries. Their allium scent drives away aphids and beetles. Let some flowers bloom to attract pollinators. Chives are great for edging raspberry beds.
4. Lavender
Lovely lavender attracts pollinators with its sweet floral scent. Planting it near raspberries encourages bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to visit and pollinate your berry blossoms. Improved pollination means better fruit production.
5. Catmint
With sky blue flowers beloved by bees and butterflies, catmint draws in pollinators just like its cousin lavender. It also releases a mild aroma that repels pests like aphids, slugs, rabbits, and deer. An excellent multi-purpose companion for raspberries.
6. Beans
Nitrogen-fixing beans enrich the soil with nutrients that raspberry plants need. Some types, like pole beans, can even be grown as a vertical crop along raspberry trellises. Just be sure to provide extra support for their vining growth.
7. Lettuce
With its shallow roots, lettuce won’t compete with raspberry plants for water or nutrients. It can be grown as a living mulch around raspberry canes. Or plant quick-growing types like leaf lettuce between canes to maximize space.
8. Nasturtiums
No companion plant list would be complete without nasturtiums. Their bright flowers beautify any garden while also attracting pollinators. They help repel aphids, squash bugs, whiteflies, and other troublesome insects that bother raspberries.
9. Hyssop
Pretty, blue flowering hyssop deters cabbage moths, beetles, and aphids. It attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. A compact, bushy plant, it’s ideal for planting as a low border along raspberry beds. The flowers are also edible.
10. Oregano
With its pungent scent and flavor, oregano drives away many insect pests that can damage raspberry bushes. Its spreading habit makes it excellent groundcover. Let some flowers bloom to attract pollinators before harvesting leaves.
11. Yarrow
Feathery, fern-like yarrow foliage releases aromatics that repel pests like Japanese beetles, aphids, and mites. Its small, bright blooms also attract beneficial insects. Plant it around the perimeter of your raspberry patch.
12. Buckwheat
Fast-growing buckwheat smothers weeds, improves soil structure, and attracts pollinators when flowering. It’s great for sowing as a cover crop in raspberry beds between harvest seasons. Turn it under before reseeding to add organic material.
What Not to Plant with Raspberries
When companion planting raspberries, there are a few crops you’ll want to avoid intermingling:
- Other brambles like blackberries – They spread disease
- Nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, or eggplants – They transmit blights
- Strawberries – They compete for space and have shared pests
- Fruit trees – They shade out raspberry canes
Leave plenty of room between raspberries and these plants in your garden layout. Focus on interplanting companions that enhance growing conditions instead of competing.
Get Growing with Companions
By filling your garden with plants that complement raspberries, you can create an ecosystem where your berry bushes thrive. Thoughtful companion plantingBoosts pollination, enriches soil, deters pests, and maximizes space.
Try incorporating some of these raspberry companions: garlic, marigolds, chives, lavender, catmint, beans, lettuce, nasturtiums, hyssop, oregano, yarrow, and buckwheat. Avoid planting raspberries near nightshades, brambles, strawberries, or fruit trees.
With the right friendly plant neighbors, your raspberry patch will stay healthy and productive for years of big, beautiful berry harvests to enjoy!
What Not to Plant Near Raspberries
Just as some plants can be beneficial to the growth and fruit production of raspberries, others can transmit plant and soil diseases that can harm raspberries.
- Tomatoes: A member of the nightshade family, tomatoes can carry verticillium root rot that can affect raspberries. If there have been no tomatoes in the soil near the plants for four years, the area is safe for planting.
- Blueberries: Blueberries require acidic soil to thrive while raspberries only need mildly acidic soil. Planting both fruits together will allow only one to thrive.
- Potatoes: Another nightshade, potatoes can spread the verticillium virus to raspberries.
- Peppers: Avoid planting raspberries in an area that has grown peppers until four years have passed.
- Strawberries: Strawberries are susceptible to the same root-rotting diseases as raspberries. Land that has been planted with strawberries for four years or more can build up a population of root-rotting diseases and should not be used when planting raspberries.
- Eggplant: Another nightshade spreader of verticillium root rot, keep them away from raspberries.
- Wild and Cultivated Raspberries: If planting cultivated raspberry varieties, destroy all wild raspberries within 600 feet of the site to reduce the possibility of spreading viruses.
- Boysenberries, Blackberries, and Gooseberries: Avoid planting raspberries near similar bramble fruits to prevent the transfer of soil-borne fungal diseases.
As with most garden fruits and vegetables, regular rotation of crops is recommended to keep the soil healthy. Use fungicides wisely and enrich the soil with compost regularly for abundant yield.
11 Good Companion Plants for Raspberries
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The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Raspberries prefer full sunlight and well-drained, sandy loam soils rich in organic matter so it is important to select companion plants that have the same requirements. Since raspberries are usually trellised, there is plenty of room at the bottom of the canes for companion plants.
- Garlic: The pungent odor repels Japanese beetles that can harm the raspberry fruit and leaves.
- Leeks, Onions, and Chives: All are members of the Allium family with odors that repel harmful insects and deer.
- Marigolds: Effecting in controlling certain nematodes, microscopic worms that feed on plants.
- Lavender: Attracts bees and butterflies for pollination.
- Nasturtiums: Attracts pollinators and repels whiteflies, squash bugs, and aphids.
- Yarrow: Repels harlequin beetles that feed on raspberry plants.
- Chamomile: Attracts pollinators.
- Mint: Repels aphids.
- Turnips: Attract the harlequin beetle to prevent it from targeting the raspberries.
- Spring Cover Crops: In the early spring, sow a cover crop such as buckwheat, rye, millet, or oats to improve the organic matter in the soil and to kill out perennial weeds. The crop should be turned into the soil before it goes to seed.
- Late Summer Cover Crop: Sow a cover crop like spring oats just after the harvest of the raspberries is complete. The oats aid in hardening off the raspberry plants for winter by absorbing excess water and nutrients in the soil, reducing soil erosion, and smothering weed growth.
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Raspberry Planting Guide | Soil, Sun, pH, Fertilizing, Growing & Caring
FAQ
What do raspberries grow well next to?
Good planting companions are various legumes, such as bush beans and peas (low-growing varieties).Aug 19, 2021
What to put around raspberry bushes?
Spread wood chips, bark, pine needles, or rotted leaf mulch over the plant rows, and maintain it at a depth of three to four inches. If you’re patient with your raspberry plants and keep them adequately watered, the roots will become established and next spring you’ll see lots of new growth.
What plants don’t like raspberries?
To protect your raspberry bushes, it’s best to keep them far away from potatoes, tomatoes, and other Solanaceae family members like eggplants and peppers.
What plants like raspberries?
- Alliums like garlic, leeks, chive, and onions act as a natural insecticide for raspberry plants, repelling Japanese beetles with their pungent aromas.
- Plant raspberries near chervil to deter squash bugs and ants from fruiting canes.
What fruits go well with raspberries?
Gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa): Gooseberries are another member of the Ribes genus and share many of the same benefits as currants when grown alongside raspberries. They offer a variety of flavors and colors, adding diversity to the fruit garden. Hazelnuts (Corylus spp.):
What plants grow well with raspberries?
Any legume can also work well when planted near raspberries. Not only do these add more food products to your garden, but they can also improve the condition of the soil. Therefore, they help most plants grow better, including raspberries. 6. Alfalfa While not one of the most popular plants, alfalfa works great as a raspberry cover crop.
Do raspberries attract bees?
When companion planting with raspberries, another thing to consider are plants that attract bees. The more bees that visit raspberry bushes, the more raspberries the plant will yield. Raspberry plant companions that attract pollinators, while repelling harmful pests, include: Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Are raspberries a good companion plant?
Raspberries are shrubs from the genus Rubus (Rose family). They make a good companion plant when paired with the right plant. What grows well with raspberries? Now let’s explore what are the best companion plants for raspberries. 1. Marigold Marigolds are mainly used to attract pollinators and also brighten up your garden.
Can you plant raspberries with other plants?
Instead, you must do lots of research to match two plants together. For instance, raspberries should only be planted with other plants that work well with them. Otherwise, you may end up with incompatible plants, leading to disease and even plants dying. Here are some plants that work well as companion plants with raspberries. 1. Crimson Clover
Are leeks a good companion plant for raspberries?
Leeks work well as a companion plant for raspberries. They have a strong scent like onions and helps keep Japanese beetles and other destructive pests away. These brightly-colored flowers are good raspberries companion plants because they attract beneficial insects that prey on pests. Onions are a great companion to grow in your raspberry patch.