Their strong scent and low growth habit make onions suitable companion plants for many vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Onions are so versatile in the garden that it can be challenging to decide where to locate them since they grow well with most other plants. Because onions are so good at repelling pests, the best place to grow your onion companion plants is near others most vulnerable to pests. Below are some top recommended onion companion plants, but if you have other plants prone to pests, you may also want to plant onions near those.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale, are perfect onion companion plants. Onions’ strong aroma naturally repels cabbage loopers and other pests that target cruciferous vegetables. Additionally, onions and cruciferous vegetables are heavy-feeding plants, so they both benefit from regular fertilizer applications.
Strawberries
Similarly, strawberries are also prone to pest invasions. Onions help to repel many of the most common strawberry pests. Onions and strawberries are both low-growing plants, so they generally won’t compete for sunlight or other necessities.
Beets
Onions repel many insects that feed on beets, including flea beetles and aphids. Deer and rabbits also avoid onions, which can help protect your beet greens from these voracious garden visitors. Because beets and onions are both root crops, they also have similar growing needs and prefer deep, loose soil.
Carrots
Onion companion plants appear to keep away the destructive carrot fly, a pest that can stunt the growth of carrots and even destroy entire plantings. Because both plants are root vegetables, they have similar growing needs and prefer regular watering and loose, deep soil. What’s more, carrots and onions are both cool season vegetables that can be planted early in the season before many other vegetable types.
Lettuce
Lettuce is a fast-growing vegetable; interplanting it with your onions is a smart way to get the most out of your garden. While waiting for your onion bulbs to fill out, you may get a garden harvest or two of lettuce. Even better, lettuce has very short roots so that it won’t compete with onion bulbs for soil space.
Peppers
Peppers and onions don’t just pair well in the kitchen; pepper and onion companion plants are also perfect partners in the garden. Onions’ strong aroma repels many garden pests and can keep deer and rabbits from browsing on your bell peppers. Pepper plants are also taller than onions, leaving plenty of room for onions to grow underneath.
Tomatoes
If you want to make homemade salsa, you definitely need to leave some room in your garden for growing tomatoes with onion companion plants. When planted together, onions will help to keep your tomatoes pest-free, and tomatoes’ larger leaves can shield the soil around your onions and prevent them from drying out as quickly. Additionally, both plants need plenty of nutrients, and they have similar growing needs.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a delicate herb with small, daisy-like flowers frequently used for herbal teas. When planted with onions, chamomile is thought to improve the flavor and growth of your onion bulbs. Chamomile is also very easy to grow from seed and is small-space friendly.
Leeks
Sowing plants in the same family is generally not recommended as they can be susceptible to the same pests and diseases. However, because onions and leeks are naturally repellant to most pests, these two plants can usually be sown together without any issues. They also have the same growing needs, and planting them in the same bed can simplify your gardening tasks.
Summer Savory
Summer savory is a less commonly used annual herb that tastes a bit like marjoram and thyme. When grown with onion companion plants, it will repel most pests affecting your onions. Growing summer savory near onions is also thought to improve the growth of your onion bulbs and may sweeten their flavor.
More Companion Plants for Your Edible Garden
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