22 Companion Plants to Help Your Strawberry Crop Thrive

Grow your strawberry plants alongside these vegetables, herbs, and flowers, for a helpful boost.

Strawberries are a delicious, juicy addition to any culinary garden. To ensure your strawberry plants flourish, consider growing them alongside companion plants. Companion planting is the method of growing plants together that will benefit both species. Growing strawberries next to companion plants can improve the overall health of the crop and improve yield.

The following expert-recommended companion plants—which include herbs, vegetables, and flowers—will improve soil quality, attract pollinators, and repel bugs, making your strawberry plants happier and your gardening work easier. And since some plants don't go together well, our experts also explain which plants to never plant near strawberries.

Meet the Expert

• Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app, an app that makes garden planning easier

• Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University, where she conducts the Native Plant Master Program

Related: How to Grow Sweet Strawberries That Will Produce Fruit Every Year

Spinach

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a great companion plant for strawberries, as it helps suppress weeds and conserve moisture in the soil. Additionally, spinach can help provide shade and protection for the strawberry plant," says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app.

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to light shade; well-draining soil
  

Lettuce

Another leafy green, lettuce (Lactuca sativa) suppresses weeds by acting as a living mulch and can camouflage the strawberries from birds, says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University.

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

Dill

Dill (Anethum graveolens) produces flowers that attract pollinators like hoverflies, which are predators that eat unwanted thrips and aphids. "Thrips start when the strawberries bloom and continue through the season with the adults and larvae," says Langelo. "They hide under the cap of the strawberry and seeds."

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 2 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

Catnip

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) contains a type of chemical called iridoids that act as a natural insect repellent, which will keep aphids and spider mites away from your strawberry plants, says Langelo.

• Zones: 3 to 9

• Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil

Marigolds

Marigolds (Tagetes) are one of the most well-known companion plants. "Marigolds release a scent that acts as a repellent to many garden pests, such as aphids, whiteflies, and root-knot nematodes," says Spoonemore.

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 24 inches wide, depending on variety

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Sage

The active compounds found in the leaves of sage (Salvia officinalis) cause a strong smell that masks the scent of the strawberry fruits. "The flowers of the sage will attract pollinators such as bees, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps," says Langelo.

• Zones: 4 to 10

• Size: 3 feet tall x 3 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Asparagus

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) makes a good companion plant to strawberries because they have similar growing requirements. Additionally, asparagus contributes nitrogen to the soil for the strawberries, and the strawberries fertilize asparagus, says Langelo.

• Zones: 2 to 9

• Size: 3 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; moist, organic, well-drained soil

Basil

Lemon basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Lemon’) or cinnamon basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon') are two of the best companion plants for strawberries. "Methyl eugenol is in the oil of the basil plant and repels flies, mosquitoes, tomato hornworms, whiteflies, aphids, and thrips, which strawberries attract," says Langelo.

• Zones: 4 to 10

• Size: 8 to 12 inches tall x 8 to 12 inches wide, depending on variety

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Borage

Borage (Borago officinalis) attracts beneficial insects such as bees and wasps, which aid in pollination and also help with strawberry production, says Spoonemore.

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 18 to 38 inches tall x 12 to 16 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Thyme

Thymol is the key ingredient in thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and acts as a pest repellent. "The flowers of the thyme attract pollinators such as bees because of their nectar and pollen content," says Langelo. "Thyme also attracts beneficial insects such as syrphid flies whose larvae feed on aphids."

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) protects strawberries from insects such as aphids by attracting predatory insects. "Chamazulene is an aromatic chemical compound found in yarrow that helps repel insects," says Langelo. "Western yarrow (Achillea millifolliumlanulosa) attracts butterflies and bees to the garden and helps improve poor soils."

• Zones: 3 to 9

• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

White Clover

When grown as ground cover in between rows of strawberries, white clover (Trifolium repens) can fix nitrogen in the soil and reduce weeds by serving as a type of living mulch, says Langelo.

• Zones: 3 to 10

• Size: 4 to 6 inches tall x 12 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) makes a great companion plant for strawberries because of the strong odor it produces due to its sulfur compounds, which repel insects, says Langelo. The odor also masks the sweet scent of the strawberries, which will further help keep pests at bay.

• Zones: 3 to 9

• Size: 1 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide, depending on variety

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining, nutrient-rich soil

Horseradish

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a perennial root plant that will protect your strawberry plants from some fungal diseases and insects, such as aphids, whiteflies, beetles, and, in some cases, birds, says Langelo.

• Zones: 4 to 8

• Size: 24 to 30 inches tall x 30 to 36 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; clay-based, well-draining soil

Rhubarb

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a great companion plant for strawberries because both species require similar growing conditions. "They both grow well in slightly acidic soil, well-draining soil, and full sun, and are spring and early summer perennial plants," says Langelo.

• Zones: 3 to 10

• Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 3 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; acidic, well-draining soil
  

Sweet Alyssum

The flowers of sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) attract butterflies, honeybees, and native bees, which pollinate strawberry plants and help produce a higher yield, says Langelo. What's more, since alyssum plants stay low to the ground, they can act as a living mulch to help keep down weeds.

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 3 to 10 inches tall x 2 to 4 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

Poppy

Similar to sweet alyssum, poppy plants (Papaver orientale) attract pollinators and beneficial insects, which can help increase yield, says Spoonemore.

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 24 inches wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Lupine

Grow perennial lupine (Lupinus perennis) in your garden to help fix nitrogen in the soils for strawberries and to attract bees and butterflies for pollination, says Langelo.

• Zones: 3 to 8

• Size: 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; dry, sandy soil

Related: 14 Common Types of Strawberries—and the Subtle Differences Between Them

Nasturtium

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) have a natural peppery odor that can mask the scent of strawberries and keep hungry eaters away. What's more, nasturtiums attract pollinators such as honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and predatory pests, says Langelo.

• Zones: 2 to 11

• Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, depending on variety

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Cilantro

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) can be planted between the rows of ever-bearing or day-neutral strawberry varieties because they have the same bloom season, and both do well in temperatures between 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, says Langelo.

• Zones: 2 through 11

• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide

• Growing conditions: Sun (with afternoon shade in hotter regions); loose, loamy, well-draining soil

Oregano

Like many other herbs, oregano (Origanum vulgare) has a potent fragrance that helps mask the strawberry scent from pests, protecting the strawberries from damage, says Spoonemore.

• Zones: 4 to 10

• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula) is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant with a strong scent that helps attract pollinators and can also deter pests, says Spoonemore.

• Zones: 5 to 9

• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide

• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

What to Never Plant With Strawberries

While some plants can help your strawberries thrive, there are others you should never grow next to this fruit.

• Brassicas: Plants in the brassica family, like cabbage, will compete with strawberry plants for water and nutrients, says Spoonemore.

• Fennel:Due to allelopathic properties, fennel emits a chemical that can inhibit the growth of plants around it, says Spoonemore.

• Cucumbers, melons, winter squash: These plants all compete for space and the same nutrients as strawberries, says Langelo.

• Sunflowers: Although pretty, sunflowers will block sun from reaching the strawberry plants and inhibit the growth of the strawberries, says Langelo.

• Nightshades: Plants in the nightshade family, like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, are susceptible to the same diseases strawberries are, so it's best to keep them separate, Spoonemore says.
  

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.