Steve Yoder
I'm Steve, a 30-something urban gardener fascinated by companion planting research. Growing up surrounded by greenery sparked my passion for gardening early on. I enjoy transforming my small backyard, experimenting with companion planting techniques and eco-friendly practices. Sustainability matters—I advocate for native plants and composting.
Table of Contents
Companion planting is a gardening technique that pairs plants together to make them more effective.You can also use it for cabbage companion plants! Use companion planting as an alternative to pesticides and herbicides. It also makes your garden appealing. It also helps your plants grow and even taste better. Here is some information about cabbage and tips for cabbage companion planting.
Cabbage in General
Whether green, red, white, round or oblong, large or small. Cabbage is a versatile vegetable that was long misunderstood as a hearty “poor man’s food.” Many varieties of cabbage provide year-round variety. Cauliflower and broccoli are typical summer cabbages. So, Brussels sprouts and kale are typical fall and winter vegetables. Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, and white cabbage are available in supermarkets all year round. Prepare the different sorts in a variety of ways! They are also storable for a long time. It’s still not everything! They are inexpensive, low in calories, and best of all, when prepared gently, they are real vitamin and mineral bombs.
Cabbage also contains the typical glucosinolates, so-called secondary plant compounds. These are responsible for the typical taste and smell. Their health-promoting effect comes from the antioxidant and antimicrobial effect they have. They stimulate the body’s defenses, and they lower cholesterol levels.
Best Cabbage Companion Plants
Here are some of the companion plants for cabbage:
Beets with Cabbage
Cabbage and beets are both members of the brassica family, so they do well together. Cabbage will give you larger heads if you plant them with beets.
Celery & Cabbage
Plant celery near your cabbage to help keep away cabbage flies, which love to eat these plants but will leave yours alone. So, celery is good protection for your cabbage!
Dill as a Companion Plant
Dill is a common cabbage companion plant that keeps mosquitoes away from cabbages as well as many other vegetables. It also deters aphids1 from attacking your cabbages. It also attracts beneficial insects such as ladybugs or lacewings!
Lettuce and Cabbage
Lettuce grows fast enough that it can act as an effective cover crop when planted near cabbages. So, pests won’t attack them while they’re not in use yet (i.e., during the winter). This helps prevent pests while keeping up soil fertility at the same time! It’s generally pretty easygoing about its neighbors’ needs! It grows fast. Also, it doesn’t want much fussing over specifics like spacing or watering requirements every day. If this sounds good, then this could be right up your alley!
Onions and Potatoes
There are two more cabbage companion plants. Though they are not considered as companion plants they will still enjoy companionship. They also give protection to each other and help to grow better.
Marigold Cooperating with Cabbage
In a study about cabbage and marigold2 companion planting, researchers found out that with the help of this cooperation the growth of both plants will icrease drastically! With this technique farmers could produce more than twice as usual in 2021!
What Not to Plant Near Cabbage
Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family. This family includes broccoli, cauliflower, and strawberries. These crops are susceptible to the same pests and diseases as cabbage. So, they mustn’t grow as cabbage companion plants in the garden.
For example, cabbage worms can attack all members of this family with equal vigor. These pests will destroy your plants’ leaves and growing buds! To prevent this, it’s best not to plant these crops next to each other in your garden plot.
Now that you’ve learned about some of the best cabbage companion plants, it’s time to get started! Keep in mind that there are many other plants you can use in your garden. You need to find the right ones for your needs and the environment where they will grow best.
References
- Kokwane, R. M. (2021). Potential of some botanical extracts, soap solutions and companion plants against cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne Brassicae L.) on rape (Brassica napus L.) (Doctoral dissertation, Botswana University of Agriculture & Natural Resources).
- Kumari, A. R., Prakash, S., & Mandal, S. K. (2021). Marigold intercropping with cabbage for pest management and additional income of farmers. Progressive Agriculture, 21(1), 163-165.