Here ’s one of the most crucial example I learned this summer :

Brassica oleracea italica and rhubarb are not respectable companion plant , if you slop them close together .

I had read somewhere that they were swell companions , so I stuck a pieplant seedling in between two of my broccoli works . I do n’t like maths , so I did n’t appraise anything .

A close up horizontal image of a large raised bed surrounded by various small planters containing broccoli and various companion plants, with trees in the background.

See how close my rhubarb plant was to my broccoli? Not good. I underestimated how enormous the they would get! Photo by Laura Melchor.

Besides , I ’m a greedy gardener . I incline to overcrowd plant in an drive to grow all the thing .

The point of associate planting is that one companion gain the other in some way . In the best position , this case of planting is mutually good .

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A collage of photos showing broccoli and different companion plant varieties.

See how close my rhubarb plant was to my broccoli? Not good. I underestimated how enormous the they would get! Photo by Laura Melchor.

But here ’s what go on to my rhubarb : the Brassica oleracea italica grew so enormously improbable that it blocked every Panthera uncia of light . To repair , the rhubarb leaves grew as bombastic as elephant auricle and the chaff got recollective and floppy .

Not an idealcompanion - garden scenario . I ended up move the rhubarb plant to a totally unlike area .

But since I need to grow my favorite cruciferous veg again next class , I begin to enquire … what companion plants grow well with broccoli ? And is rhubarb really one of them ?

A vertical close up image of a small blue bucket containing a fresh harvest of broccoli with companions grown with it in the garden, on a soft focus background. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Here ’s what I discovered :

What You’ll Learn

Why Your Broccoli Needs Companions

Brassica oleraceavar.italica , aka Brassica oleracea italica , may take up quite a bit of space in your garden . But it has a secret to share with you : if you just pick the right plants to sow alongside it , they can all thrive together .

What ’s even good is that many of these companion plants taste really skillful when eaten in combination with it .

Broccoli - potato - shallot soup with a lettuce , Apium graveolens dulce , and spinach salad on the side , anyone ?

A close up square image of freshly harvested Brassica oleracea var. italica ‘Montebello’ set on a wooden surface, pictured on a soft focus background.

Yum ! The cultivar I grow this summer , ‘ Di Cicco , ’ grows two to three feet tall and spreads two feet , making it an ideal fellow traveler for clams , spinach , and Chamaemelum nobilis – all of which benefit from a bit of subtlety .

‘ Di Cicco ’

you may find ‘ Di Cicco ’ seedsavailable at True Leaf Market .

A close up horizontal image of beets growing in the garden in the rain, pictured in bright sunshine on a soft focus background.

‘ Montebello Hybrid ’

For a slightly more compact cultivar that partner off well with other Dominicus - loving fellow – such as beets , Apium graveolens dulce , shallot , and rhubarb – try ‘ Montebello Hybrid , ’ a sprouting varietyfrom Burpee .

‘ Montebello Hybrid ’ spreads 20 inch and uprise up to 24 column inch tall .

A close up square image of freshly harvested ‘Lutz Green Leaf’ beets with tops still attached, set on a wooden surface.

Check out 13 of our preferred cultivars here .

The Best Companion Plants for Broccoli

Now , let ’s get into the nitty - gritty of why these nine plants make gross companion for your broccoli .

1. Beets

Here ’s the understanding that beets and Brassica oleracea italica make a consummate span : the brassica slurps Ca from the soil like it can never get enough , while beets ( Beta vulgaris ) do n’t demand well-nigh as much .

establish the two together and you wo n’t have Ca - deficient broccoli , as you might if you sowed it alongside carrots and tomato .

Just check that there ’s a upstanding 15 in of infinite in between the Beta vulgaris and the Brassica oleracea italica so that what happened to my pieplant does n’t happen to your beet .

A close up horizontal image of small celery seedlings growing in plastic trays pictured in bright sunshine on a soft focus background.

For tasty tops and voluptuous , dark red root word , judge ‘ Lutz Green Leaf , ’ they will be ready to harvest in 65 days .

‘ Lutz Green Leaf ’ beetroot

encounter bombastic , tasty ‘ Lutz Green Leaf ’ beet seedsavailable at Eden Brothersorread about more of our pet kind here .

A close up square image of freshly harvested ‘Pascal’ celery set on a wooden surface.

And if you need a refresher course , break out ourguide to develop beetroot .

2. Celery

In my garden this class , my celery ( Apium graveolens ) grew tall , inviolable , and supple . The plants held their own in the garden , and did n’t let any surrounding greens overshadow them .

I should have planted them among my Brassicas !

While much of what ’s recommended in companion planting is more on the fabulous side of things and difficult to show with cold , hard science , some gardener bank that cultivated celery amend the flavour of broccoli .

A close up horizontal image of the pretty white flowers of German chamomile growing in the garden pictured in light sunshine on a soft focus background.

So , why not try growing the two together ?

‘ Pascal ’ Celery

you’re able to find germ for open - pollinate ‘ Pascal ’ celeryavailable at Eden Brothers .

A close up square image of freshly harvested German chamomile flowers set on a wooden surface.

And do n’t draw a blank to read ourcomplete scout for the ripe tips on growing celery at home .

3. Chamomile

If you roll in the hay herbs , try implant chamomile alongside your broccoli . Like cultivated celery , chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ) is said to improve its smell .

Chamomile attractsbeesand other pollinators to your garden . Plus , it makes an fantabulous tea . Nothing soothes an aching belly like chamomile does .

You should sow chamomile seed about eight to 12 column inch asunder from your broccoli flora , to give the bloom space to acquire .

A close up horizontal image of rows of lettuce growing in the garden.

How lovely would it be to see the soft white and yellowish blossom popping up among your vegetables ?

German Chamomile

you’re able to find German chamomile seed in a variety of packet sizesavailable at Eden Brothers .

A close up square image of cut and come again lettuce growing in the garden.

And understand your own chamomile here .

4. Lettuce

One of the more thwarting expression of a string of cheery day , among nurseryman at least ,   is how quickly Green River tend to bolt when this type of weather is in the forecast .

You ’ll go into the garden to clean some simoleons for your lunchtime salad , only to find that your plant is flowering .

Grr !

A close up horizontal image of a garden fork digging up fresh potatoes from dark rich earth.

That ’s why lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) and Brassica oleracea italica make a fine duad . The massive farewell provide shadowiness for your lettuce , which does n’t rigorously need shade , but it does n’t suffer from a little sun trade protection either .

In fact , the additional specter assist keep it from bolting quite so quickly .

Lettuce Leaf Blend

A close up square image of of ‘Red Luna’ potatoes with one cut in half to show the yellow flesh, set on a wooden surface.

try out this folio lettuce blendfrom Eden Brothers . It contains eight dissimilar kind of scratch in a chain of mountains of colour and textures .

And do n’t bury to read our guide to learn the good lucre .

5. Potatoes

Maybe you absolutely hump growing potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) but palpate frustrated at the amount of veg that ca n’t grow alongside them :   tomatoes , Piper nigrum , carrots , cucumbers , sunflowers , Allium cepa , and the list goes on .

But guess what can grow with Solanum tuberosum ? Broccoli !

It ’s said that while Solanum tuberosum absorb sight of food from the soil , they do n’t take care being planted next to broccoli , as the two have unlike nutritional needs .

A close up horizontal image of a large rhubarb plant growing in the garden surrounded by wood chip mulch.

potato need plenty of atomic number 12 and phosphate , while Brassica oleracea italica sleep with its Ca and nitrogen .

Since the two industrial plant do n’t hog each others ’ nutrient , they both grow happily – as long as you keep up with fertilisation !

‘ Red Luna ’

A close up square image of a large ‘Victoria’ rhubarb plant growing in the garden pictured in bright sunshine.

Find pleasant-tasting ‘ Red Luna ’ spud in packs of 10 tubersavailable at Burpee .

And read our guide for expert tips togrow the best potatoes .

6. Rhubarb

After my intro , you might be surprised to see rhubarb ( Rheum rhabarbarum ) on this list . But really , I ’m happy I initially plant the two together .

Rhubarb deters the chou whitefly ( genus Aleyrodes brassier ) , which tie itself to the Brassica oleracea italica leaves and breed a bunch of babe , interpret the leaves uneatable .

This is n’t such a problem if you do n’t plan to eat the leaves , but you totallyshouldeat them , because you may – they ’re tasty and alimental . And they ’re huge , compared to the crown .

A close up horizontal image of rosemary growing in the garden pictured in bright sunshine on a soft focus background.

You ’ll sense more rewarded for your effort if you eat the entire flora – leave , crown , stem , and all . desire me on this .

The scent of rhubarb plant foliage , which are full of toxic oxalic acid , is also say todeter whitefliesand other leaf - eating bugs .

Just make certain you do n’t plant these companions too close to each other , like I did .

A close up square image of freshly harvested rosemary tied into a bunch and set on a wooden surface on a soft focus background.

or else , ensure you allow for at least 12 to 18 inches of space between your rhubarb and your broccoli , and they ’ll be just fine .

‘ Victoria ’ Rhubarb

you could buy your ‘ Victoria ’ rhubarb seedsonline at Burpee .

A close up horizontal image of a pile of red shallots set on a rustic wooden surface.

Yes , you read that right-hand ! You cangrow rhubarb from seed ! I have three thriving pieplant plants that I grew from seminal fluid eight calendar month ago , and I ’ve already made rhubarb crumble with the shuck . So satisfy !

7. Rosemary

For a no - fuss herb that ’ll soldier through all kind of conditions and even helpdrive blighter aside from your Brassica oleracea italica , plant rosemary ( Salvia rosmarinus ) in your garden .

According to horticulturist Misty Kuceris of the Burke Nursery and Garden Center in Burke , Virginia , rosemary repels wampum moths ( Mamestra brassicae ) andcabbage loopers ( Trichoplusia ni ) , both of which can chew hole through your parting and crown and deposit frass all over the industrial plant while they ’re at it .

If you require to hook a few bow of rosemary and spread them around your Brassica oleracea italica plant , at least according to horticulture traditional knowledge , their spiky leave of absence can helpkeep slug and snails awaytoo .

A close up square image of of a pile of ‘Holland Red’ shallots with one sliced in the foreground set on a wooden surface.

Rosemary

ascertain rosemary seedsavailable at Eden Brothers .

And read our guide to learnhow to plant and grow rosemaryin your garden .

A close up horizontal image of spinach growing in the garden surrounded by other plants, pictured in bright sunshine.

8. Shallots

I used to like onions well enough . But I could never use an total bulb in one meal , so I ’d always finish up with half an onion enshroud aside somewhere in the fridge .

Since this onion always lost its flavor after a 24-hour interval or two , I ’d end up convulse it … after a few weeks …

I know . Gross . And what a wastefulness !

A close up square image of freshly harvested ‘Viroflay’ spinach leaves set on a blue and white wooden surface.

But recently , I started growing shallot ( Allium cepavar.aggregatumandA. oschaninii ) , which are fundamentally small , flavorful , not - terribly - sharp onion .

And I fall in sexual love with them . They taste awing in a variety of dish , and each bulb is just enough in footing of size to make an omelet or a soup , so I do n’t neutralize nearly as much garden goodness as I used to .

So if you have n’t grown your own shallot yet , check out our growing guide , and go industrial plant some next to your Brassica oleracea italica . Like chamomile and Apium graveolens dulce , Allium cepa aggregatum are also suppose to make your favored green vegetable taste even better .

Seed Shallots

you may obtain ‘ Holland Red ’ seed shallots to sow in the gardenavailable at Burpee .

9. Spinach

I love to sneak prickly-seeded spinach into my son ’s berry smoothie . It ’s the only way he ’ll corrode greens ! So I implant spinach in my garden this summertime … but not next to my broccoli .

I should have , friends . I should have .

Why ? Because my spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ) bolted like you would n’t trust . I could n’t utilize it tight enough : it turned into grandiloquent columns with chummy stalks and progressively lowly leaf .

If I had plant it next to my broccoli alternatively , it would have catch one’s breath in the shade of the giant forget , feeling tranquil and cool rather than stressed and bolty .

Next summertime , I ’ll be planting my spinach just six to eight inches out from my Brassica oleracea italica plant life so they can get some of that nice nicety by the time the summer warm up up .

‘ Viroflay ’ Spinach

If you need to examine this too , find ‘ Viroflay ’ prickly-seeded spinach sow to plantavailable at Eden Brothers .

And do n’t forget to read our guide togrowing this classic leafy immature veggie .

Bad Companions

While these nine plants produce excellently when sown alongside broccoli , there are also a few things you should never constitute near it .

First , avoid institute any other Brassicas nearby . Since they have humbled nutrient needs and attract the same eccentric of pest , embed a clump of broccoli , lolly , cauliflower , and the like all together can chair to trouble .

Some gardener also avoid planting strawberries , Zea mays , tomato plant , peppers , and any cucurbit alongside Brassica oleracea italica , because these plant are heavy birdfeeder . They ’ll contend with broccoli for the same nutrients .

A Friendly Veggie – With a Few Exceptions

Companion planting is often a mixture ofgarden folkloreand skill , and we can study a set from run and error by experimenting with different combination .

With these nine good fellow traveller , you should now be armed with some estimate of what to plant with your Brassica oleracea italica this time of year .

And do n’t forget to check out ourcomplete guide to growing broccolito get set out !

And check out these article for more information aboutgrowing broccoliin your garden :

Photo by Laura Melchor © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL rightfulness RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . Product photos via Burpee , Eden Brothers , and honest Leaf Market . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .

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Laura Ojeda Melchor