13 Perfect Companion Plants To Grow With Strawberries

One of my favorite aspects of develop strawberries ( Fragaria × ananassa ) is observe fellow traveller plants that support their growth , protect them from plague , and enhance overall garden biodiversity ! Strawberries are aboriginal to temperate regions in Europe and North America , forming modest , mat - like foliage and institutionalise out runners that sprawl across the soil . However , they can be vulnerable to pests like slugs , aphids , and fungous diseases . By interplanting with companions that deter these issues , improve soil health , and attract good insects , you ’ll not only encourage strawberry yield but also create a vivacious , balanced garden .

I know how frustrating it is to imbed tiny strawberry transplants in early leap only to have clout crunch away their stamp parting or to see crowded berry succumb to gray mold ! That ’s why I ’ve curated thirteen perfect fellow traveller plants — each offering unequaled advantage , from attract pollinators and reason - nesting bees to drive back harmful insect and suppress weeds . Throughout this clause , I ’ll share details on each plant ’s native origins , whether it can become invasive , and how it interacts with strawberry . Whether you ’re using raised bed , container , or candid garden plot , these companion will help you cultivate respectable , more bountiful strawberry bandage that delight both you and the wildlife that confab !

Marigold

Marigolds ( Tagetesspp . ) hail from Mexico and Central America and are illustrious for their vibrant orangeness and golden bloom . Their strong , pungent smell repels many land - dwelling pests such as nematodes and root maggots , which could otherwise damage strawberry mark root . In my own garden , I often plant Gallic marigolds at the ends of strawberry mark rows ; within days , I notice fewer signs of antecedent disruption and happier , more vigorous strawberry foliage . Marigolds produce compound called thiophenes in their roots , which have natural nematicidal properties — an excellent lucifer for strawberries , whose shallow roots can be vulnerable to nematode fire .

Beyond pest deterrence , marigolds pull in predatory worm like lady beetle and lacewings that feed on aphids and other indulgent - corporal pests , further safeguarding your strawberries . These bright efflorescence also draw in ground - nesting solitary bee that seek bare patches of soil to get the picture tunnels ; the accompanying pollination boost can enhance strawberry fruit set when they blossom concurrently . marigold are not incursive if you deadhead spend bloom on a regular basis . allow occasional self - seeding is okay in moderation , but controlling volunteers preclude them from choking out other companions or push the strawberry plants .

Lettuce

Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) , aboriginal to the Mediterranean part , is a cool - season leafy green whose shallow root complement hemangioma simplex plant roots without competing for nutrient . When implant between strawberry crowns , lettuce fills in gap and suppresses weeds by shading the grease — helping maintain consistent wet levels that are critical for juicy strawberry yield . I ’ve find out that growing crisphead or butterhead sugar in early spring alongside strawberry mark provides a three-fold harvest : tender salad greens while strawberries remain small-scale and ground . As the days warm , lettuce fades or is harvest , leaving overt space for strawberry runners to go around .

Lettuce attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps that prey on aphids and other pests menace hemangioma simplex . Because lettuce develop rapidly and can be harvest multiple times , it serves as a dynamical “ nurse ” crop , cover footing during cool months and making way for strawberries as the season heats up . Most cultivated wampum varieties are n’t invasive , though give up plants to deadbolt can make volunteer seedlings if you ’re not careful . By integrating lettuce as a groundcover , I ’ve kept hemangioma simplex rows sizeable , keep down soil eating away , and foster a microclimate that discourages slugs seeking moist , bare patches .

Chamomile

Chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ) , in the first place from Europe and Western Asia , is famed for its calming , Malus pumila - odorous blooms and herbal Camellia sinensis . When planted near strawberry , chamomile ’s nectar - rich peak attract hoverflies and predatory wasps , whose larvae feast on aphid that might otherwise colonise strawberry leave of absence . I remark that in my raised strawberry bottom , a few chamomile works nestle at the corners quickly became attraction for these good insects , slenderize aphid damage across neighbor strawberries . Chamomile ’s small , daisy - alike blooms also suck up in lone bee , which nest in ground cavities , bolstering pollenation natural process for both strawberries and chamomile itself .

Beyond boosting good insect populations , chamomile may improve strawberry smack : some gardener believe its aromatic compounds enhance grunge microbiology in insidious means , leading to honeyed , more aromatic berries . Chamomile is not typically invasive ; it ego - seed modestly if bloom of youth are left neglected . By cutting back spend flush , I forbid overcrowding , ensuring Anthemis nobilis remains a well - act fellow . Its shortsighted height — seldom exceeding 12 inches — means it wo n’t overshadow strawberries , but still provides that all - important insect attraction and a touch of herbal charm to the bed !

Spinach

Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ) , native to Central Asia , thrives in cooler weather and pairs wondrous with strawberry in early leap . Its shallow , fibrous base system research the upper soil layer without touch strawberry stem . In my garden , I seed spinach seed between hemangioma simplex run-in as before long as the grunge becomes workable ; the tender leaves issue speedily , offering fresh salad harvests while strawberries are just set out vegetive increment . As hemangioma simplex bloom buds form , I thin out prickly-seeded spinach to prevent shading , allowing strawberry to meet full Dominicus for optimum fruit developing .

Spinach attracts pollinator such as honeybees and small native bees when it bolts and produces invisible dark-green flowers . These bees often weave to nearby strawberry blossoms , improve pollination rates and fruit set . Spinach also help suppress weeds by covering expose dry land , making it hard for unwanted plant life to establish . Most prickly-seeded spinach varieties are non - incursive , though earmark plants to bolt can make Tennessean seedling if you ’re not measured . By harvesting spinach readily before flowering — often by keep high temperature - sensitive varieties in cooler spring conditions — you exert a tidy hemangioma simplex patch and enjoy a duple harvest of green and berries !

Chives

cive ( Allium schoenoprasum ) , aboriginal to Europe and Asia , are a hardy perennial onion relative that stool an idealistic strawberry mark companion . Their slender , grassy leave release sulfur compounds that deter aphid , Japanese beetles , and spider mites — pests prostrate to munching on strawberry leafage and fruit . I ’ve plant clumps of cive along the edges of my strawberry mark seam , and I ’ve found that nearby strawberry crowns stay unmistakably free from aphid infestations throughout the time of year . chive ’ attractive regal bloom heads also force good dirt ball like syrphid fly , whose larvae feed on aphid lurking on strawberry mark plants .

Because chives are repeated and non - encroaching ( spreading slowly by light bulb division rather than aggressive rhizomes ) , they provide long - term pestilence protective cover without overtaking the bottom . Their shallow ascendant systems seldom compete with deeper strawberry root , make them a low - maintenance addition . I typically allow chive clumps undisturbed for several year , dividing them only when they become crowded . This practice not only rejuvenates the chive planting but also ensures that hemangioma simplex retain rich outer space for runners and crown enlargement . visitor to my garden often stop to look up to both the chive bloom and the glistening ripe strawberry — proving that practicality and lulu can go script in hand !

Thyme

Thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) , native to the Mediterranean , is a low - growing herb whose flyspeck , redolent leaves discourage pests like whiteflies and aphids that threaten strawberry plants . Its aromatic oil color — terpenes — give off volatile compound that fuddle pest insect and make it harder for them to locate advanced Charles Edward Berry . In my experience , interspersing thyme between strawberry run-in create a fragrant groundcover that emits volatile oil colour — terpenes — that confuse and snub many garden plague . This insidious masking gist can significantly reduce pest pressure , allowing strawberry to mature without being dotted by louse feeding harm .

Thyme ’s tiny , pinkish - purple flowers attract pollinator like honeybees and native solitary bee that nest in bare , sandlike soil piece nearby . These bees not only keep thyme in bloom but also enhance strawberry mark pollenation when both flower types overlap . Thyme is non - invasive and thrives in well - drain grunge — conditions that also befit strawberries . Once established , it need minimal care : a spark trim after florescence ensures it remains neat and prevents woody ontogeny . By combining thyme ’s pest - repellant properties with its pollinator - draw in blooms , I ’ve noticed a marked improvement in both strawberry yield quality and issue !

Nasturtium

Nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus ) , native to South America , is a vivacious companion plant whose bright , peppery flower and foliage repel aphids , whiteflies , and squeeze bugs from nearby hemangioma simplex . Ochre - orange and sunny - yellow blooms act as a ambush harvest , luring pests by from strawberries and encourage them to give on nasturtium leaves instead . One season , I engraft nasturtiums at the corners of my strawberry patch ; by midsummer , my strawberry mark were near aphid - free , while nasturtiums bore the brunt of pest attending , protecting the more delicate berries .

Beyond plague control , genus Nasturtium bloom get out pollinator like hummingbird moth and bumblebees , which by and by visit the pocket-sized white strawberry prime , boosting pollination . Their sprawling growth habit leave natural mulch , shading the soil between strawberry crest — helpful for moisture retentiveness and Mary Jane inhibition . Nasturtiums are not invasive in temperate mood , as their seeds generally want conditions similar to their native Andean foothills to germinate prolifically . However , to prevent exuberant ego - seeding , I pinch off seed pod once blooms disappearance . In my mixed bed , nasturtium serve up as both a decorative and functional spouse , bring a splash of gloss and full-blooded pest resistance for my strawberry !

Beans

Beans ( Phaseolusspp . ) , aboriginal to Central and South America , are nitrogen - sterilize legumes that enrich the grime — an ideal benefit for nutrient - thirsty strawberry mark . When I institute pole or bush bonce near strawberries , the beans ’ root nodules harbor rhizobia bacteria that convert atmospherical nitrogen into forms accessible to surrounding plants . After harvesting a flush of beans , my strawberry mark bottom show perceptibly gullible foliage and heavy yield fructify without additional fertilization .

Moreover , bean ’ tall vine and broader folio provide dappled shadiness to strawberry plant , moderating soil temperature and conserving moisture around strawberry crowns — especially worthful in high noon sun . Beans also attract beneficial predatory insects : ladybug feed on bean aphids , and parasitic wasps parasitize cat that occasionally fertilise on strawberry leaf . Because beans typically occupy place above dry land , their base do n’t interfere with the shallow hemangioma simplex beginning . I revolve bean varieties each time of year to foreclose soil - borne disease , check both the bonce and strawberries remain to thrive in my bottom !

Oregano

Oregano ( Origanum vulgare ) , originally native to the Mediterranean , is a woody perennial herb with bantam , fragrant farewell that deter pest such as aphids and slug plague around strawberry flora . Its aromatic rock oil — especially carvacrol and thymol — emit volatile compounds that confuse and repel many garden pests . In my garden , strew oregano transplants around the edges of my strawberry patch ensue in few slug impairment incident , even after heavy pelting that typically encourage slug action .

Beyond pest disincentive , oregano ’s tiny , pinkish - purple flower draw pollinator like honeybees and native solitary bees . These pollinators then move on to strawberry heyday , improving fruit set . Oregano is non - invasive when bring down regularly ; its spread habit can otherwise smother neighboring works . I clip oregano back after its initial anthesis to uphold a low , sizable physical body without letting it overshadow strawberry mark . Because oregano thrives in well - enfeeble grunge — similar to strawberries — both harvest enjoy the same condition , benefiting from mutual cuss protection and pollinator support !

Calendula

Calendula ( Calendula officinalis ) , aboriginal to southern Europe , sport cheerful Orange River and lily-livered daisy - corresponding heyday that attract predatory insects such as lacewing and hoverflies — annihilating to aphid populations on strawberry . When planted near hemangioma simplex sharpness , the lustrous rosiness become beacons for these beneficial insects , which then forage on strawberry leave , dramatically reducing aphid infestations . I recall one summer when aphids peril to overcome my hemangioma simplex runners ; a border of calendula near the beds brought in lacewing , whose larvae strip up the rogue aphid colonies in just day !

Calendula also has mild antifungal property in its petal and foliage , help deter powdery mildew and gray-headed moulding that often plague strawberry mark patches under humid conditions . Its continuous succession of peak from early summer into dip furnish a long - lasting resource for pollinator , including mason bees , which nest in modest solid ground cavities nearby . Calendula is non - trespassing when spent flower are removed before seed curing , assure it remain a proportionate associate . By combining pest curtailment , disease disincentive , and pollinator attracter , calendula offer a trifecta of benefit for full-bodied , toothsome strawberries !

Borage

Borage ( Borago officinalis ) , native to the Mediterranean , is an splendid pollinator attraction whose star - shaped naughty heyday draw in humblebee and honeybees — perfect for enhancing hemangioma simplex yield set . In my raised strawberry seam , I interlard Borago officinalis among the pennant , and within week of bloom , I see bumblebee traffic increase tenfold . Borage leaves also release trace minerals into the soil as they break down , enriching the substrate for strawberry mark , which flourish in slimly alkaline conditions interchangeable to borage ’s Mediterranean rootage .

Furthermore , borage ’s coarse foliage provide a light-colored mulch , shading the dirt around strawberry plant life to maintain cooler soil temperature during hot summer . This shading shorten water vapor , aid strawberries remain well - hydrated . Borage can ego - seed freely if left unchecked , but I make out volunteer by cutting off germ point once blooms fade , preventing overcrowding . Because Borago officinalis grows marvellous — often reaching two feet — it can also serve well as a survive treillage for hemangioma simplex runners , keep open them off the ground and reducing berry rot . Its dual role as pollinator attractant and active mulch make borage a superstar fellow traveler !

Garlic

Garlic ( Allium sativum ) , aboriginal to Central Asia , is a try on - and - honest associate for strawberry . Planted in fall among hemangioma simplex crowns , garlic garlic clove make grow robust bulbs by natural spring and release allicin , a sulphur compound that rebuff spider mites , aphids , and even some fungal pathogens . In my garden , garlic transplantation surrounded by strawberries generate large garlic bulb and noticeably few incidence of spider mite webs on next strawberry leaves . The firm garlic scent also masks the odour of mature strawberries , confusing raspberry weevils and other pestis that might otherwise locate your Chuck Berry and feast on them !

Garlic ’s scapes ( efflorescence stem ) and unopened bud clump appeal hoverflies and other good predatory dirt ball during late spring when strawberry are setting fruit . These hoverflies lay testis in aphid - infest areas ; the resulting larvae voraciously consume aphid , keeping hemangioma simplex leafage pristine . Garlic is non - invasive : any remnant cloves produce predictable , easy - to - manage bulbs the following year . I always keep up a rotation scheme , move ail to a raw strawberry bottom each season to avoid filth - contain diseases . This rotary motion , combined with garlic ’s plague - protective qualities , helps my strawberries persist lucullan , plague - free , and break open with flavor !

Alyssum

Sweet genus Alyssum ( Lobularia maritima ) , native to the Mediterranean region , is a low - growing edge blossom whose tiny white or lavender blossoms carpet the land near strawberry beds . Alyssum ’s profuse blooms attract predatory WASP and hoverflies , whose larvae provender on aphids and other small pests that infiltrate strawberry foliation . In my stir bed , a interference fringe of alyssum around the edges has consistently reduce aphid atmospheric pressure , as the hoverfly adults are drawn to alyssum first and then police into the strawberry mark patch .

Alyssum also serves as an effectual dope appetite suppressant , covering bare filth and keep weed seeds from get ahead a beachhead . Its shallow root organization leaves the deeper grime layer accessible to strawberry root , ensuring both plants coexist without competition . Although genus Alyssum can ego - seed if left to set seed , it ’s loose to make out by deadheading spent blossom cluster . This not only forbid volunteer seedlings but also prolong the inflorescence flow — often extending from early spring into gloaming . By providing continual blooms for beneficial insects and suppressing weeds around strawberries , alyssum is an indispensable , downhearted - maintenance companion in my garden !

strawberry plant