Broccoli Companion Plants
Vegetable85 days to maturity
Broccoli is a cool-season brassica grown for its dense, edible flower head harvested before the buds open into yellow flowers. It is a heavy feeder that needs steady moisture and cool temperatures, bolting quickly when spring turns hot. Cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles are its most persistent pests.
Companion Checker: what grows well with Broccoli?
Tap any plant to see whether it pairs well with Broccoli and why. Green means a beneficial companion, red means keep them apart.
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Companion Planting Strategy for Broccoli
Broccoli's companion strategy centers on protecting it from the cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles that swarm brassicas, so aromatic herbs and pungent alliums are the core allies. Pair it with non-competing roots and greens, and keep it away from other heavy feeders chasing the same nutrients.
Best Companion Plants for Broccoli
These plants grow well alongside Broccoli — providing pest control, attracting pollinators, or making better use of your garden space.
Beets root at a different depth than broccoli so the two do not compete, and beet greens return minerals to the soil without robbing broccoli of the nitrogen it needs.
The pungent aroma of onions repels cabbage worms, aphids, and other brassica pests that target broccoli.
Aromatic sage masks broccoli's scent and repels the cabbage moths and cabbage loopers whose caterpillars chew its leaves and heads.
What Not to Plant With Broccoli
Keep these away from Broccoli. They compete for resources, attract shared pests, or inhibit each other's growth.
Tomatoes are warm-season heavy feeders that compete with broccoli for the same nutrients and prefer growing conditions opposite to its cool-season needs.
Strawberries and broccoli compete for nutrients and share pests, and the heavy-feeding brassica can crowd and stunt nearby strawberry plants.
How to Grow Broccoli
- Botanical name
- Brassica oleracea var. italica
- Family
- Mustard/Cabbage (Brassicaceae)
- Sun
- Full sun, 6+ hours daily
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent
- Soil
- Rich, well-draining, fertile soil, pH 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 18 inches apart; rows 24-36 inches
- Planting depth
- Sow seed 1/4-1/2 inch deep; set transplants slightly deeper than they grew
- Germination
- 5-10 days at 65-75F
- Days to maturity
- 50-70 days from transplant
- When to plant
- Transplant in early spring 2-3 weeks before the last frost for a spring crop, or in late summer for a fall crop
- Harvest
- Cut the central head while the buds are still tight and green, before yellow flowers open; side shoots follow
Common Broccoli Problems
Cabbage worms and cabbage loopers (green caterpillars)
Larvae of white butterflies and moths chew holes in leaves and heads. Use floating row cover, handpick, and spray Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
Aphids
Gray cabbage aphids cluster in heads and on leaf undersides. Blast them with water, encourage ladybugs and lacewings, and use insecticidal soap.
Flea beetles (tiny shot-hole damage)
Small beetles that pepper leaves with holes, worst on seedlings. Use row cover and reflective mulch, and keep plants vigorous.
Buttoning (tiny premature heads)
Caused by stress from cold, heat, or root-bound transplants. Harden off properly, transplant on time, and keep the soil rich and evenly moist.
Broccoli Companion Planting FAQ
What are the best companion plants for broccoli?
Onions, sage, and beets are excellent broccoli companions. Pungent onions and aromatic sage repel cabbage worms, aphids, and cabbage moths, while beets root at a different depth and do not compete for nitrogen. Aromatic herbs like dill and rosemary also help.
What should you not plant with broccoli?
Avoid planting broccoli with tomatoes and strawberries, both of which compete for nutrients and grow poorly alongside heavy-feeding brassicas. Keep it away from other brassicas in the same bed as well, to avoid concentrating shared pests and diseases.
Why is my broccoli flowering or bolting?
Broccoli bolts into yellow flowers when stressed by heat or left too long, since warm weather signals it to flower. Harvest the central head while the buds are still tight and green, plant for spring or fall maturity, and keep plants cool and evenly watered.
How far apart should you plant broccoli?
Space broccoli plants about 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart. Closer spacing yields smaller central heads, while wider spacing produces larger heads and better airflow that reduces pest and disease pressure.
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Plan Your Broccoli Garden
Use our interactive tools to design the perfect garden with Broccoli and its companions.