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
Strawberries come in a wide range of varieties. When to plant them varies from species to species. As a result, think about which species is best for you. One thing unites all of these species. Two months before planting, the ground should be treated with rotted cow manure and leaf compost. This will boost soil fertility. To provide strawberries the greatest possible habitat, cultivate them beside some strawberry companion plants.
Why Strawberry Companion Planting?
We talk about strawberry companion planting, when we grow different vegetable species next to each other. Through this technique, the plants will benefit from each other. Some plants, for example, use smells to repel pests, attract helpful insects, or stimulate mutual growth.
Another benefit of strawberry companion plants is that it allows you to save room in your vegetable bed or raised bed. This is because when vegetable species grow next to each other, rooted at various depths or growing at different heights, they do not compete for nutrients or steal light from each other1. Because various plants require different nutrients, companion planting can also help to reduce soil exhaustion.
It is not always enough to have certain qualities for appropriate plant combinations. Once an advantageous impact has been established, additional partial characteristics may be sufficient. As an example of a missing “poor” trait, consider low growth or tiny leaf size, which do not result in extensive shadowing or the drainage of desirable rainfall.
Best Strawberry Companion Plants
Coriander
The planting strategy in the ecologically focused allotment garden is determined by companion planting. This also applies to strawberry planting. That’s why you should think of companion planting. Some of the top strawberry companion plants are:
Strawberry and Borage Planted Together
Compared to plants three meters away, strawberry plants next to borage produced 35% more fruit on average and 32% more weight. According to marketing criteria, the fruits were likewise of superior aesthetic quality.
Planting Dill, Chives and Strawberries Together
Dill and chives are a fantastic herb combination for strawberry beds or balcony boxes. The reason is that dill promotes strawberry growth and chives protect strawberries from illnesses and fungal spores.
Other dill companion plants: Dill Companion Plants – Best 11 & Bad 2
Lemon balm and Chamomile
Strawberry bushes are protected from damaging insects by chamomile and lemon balm plants. They also have a cooling effect on strawberries.
The Combination of Leeks, Garlic and Onions as Strawberry Companion Plants
Garlic, onions and leeks provide a richer harvest2 and prevent gray mold on strawberries. The smell of garlic and onions keeps pests away from strawberries. Garlic, on the other hand, has another effect. When they grow between strawberry plants, they keep the strawberries’ fruits healthier for longer and protect them from fungal illnesses.
What else you can grow with onions: 6 Onion Companion Plants & 5 Bad Neighbours to Avoid
Savory
This plant is also one of the best strawberry companion plants. Savory plants need few nutrients to grow. The flowers of savory attract pollinators, which leads to faster fertilization of strawberries.
What not to Plant with Strawberries?
The following plants shouldn’t be included in the planting plan. They will encourage a variety of pests and fungi in the soil. Here are the strawberry companion plants to avoid:
Generally speaking, don’t choose any form of grass as strawberry companion plants. Rose plants may appear to be in visual harmony, but their detrimental effects on strawberry growth and health exceed them. Additionally, no plant can be regarded as a neighbor if it casts its shade on strawberry plants.
Cabbage contains everything from white cabbage to kohlrabi and broccoli. The cabbage fly is to blame for this. It eats the cabbage without stopping to look at the nearby plants. This is of course a danger for your strawberries too!
References
- Griffiths‐Lee, J., Nicholls, E., & Goulson, D. (2020). Companion planting to attract pollinators increases the yield and quality of strawberry fruit in gardens and allotments. Ecological Entomology, 45(5), 1025-1034.
- Hata, F. T., Ventura, M. U., Paula, M. T. D., Shimizu, G. D., Paula, J. C. B. D., Kussaba, D. A. O., & Souza, N. V. D. (2019). Intercropping garlic in strawberry fields improves land equivalent ratio and gross income. Ciência Rural, 49.