What companion plant is garlic compatible with? To have a spectacular garlic harvest and keep it thriving then you do need the best companion plants to pair with it.
The scent of crushed garlic in olive oil is not the only thing you get to enjoy if you have garlic planted in your garden but you also get to enjoy fresh garlic in your meals every day.
Garlic belongs to the Allium family and it happens to be a popular plant in many gardens. The good news about making garlic a companion plant to other plants is that many pests and insects find the odor downright repulsive and less appealing.
Companion planting is a method used by organic farmers and gardeners, it basically means, planting species of plants together to take advantage of mutual benefits and help each other thrive.
Table of Contents
12 Best Plants to Grow With Garlic
Garlic is an amazing plant that every gardener likes to have in their garden. This plant is a cool weather plant and one of the best ways to deter pests and create a balanced ecosystem in your garden is finding compatible plants for it. Hence, to make companion planting with garlic easy, here is a list of some of the best plants to grow with it.
1. Fruit Trees
The first companion plants you should look towards planting with garlic are all kinds of fruit trees. Garlic help deters pests that are harmful to fruit trees, such as aphids, caterpillars, Japanese beetles, and borers. The antifungal properties of garlic can also help prevent apple trees from apple scab and leaf curl in peach trees.
2. Peppers
Peppers are sun-loving plants and they are prone to many harmful insects but planting them near garlic can help repel is insects. Plant your peppers in close proximity with your garlic and prepare to harvest them without blight or white mold affecting it.
3. Tomatoes
Another plant recommended to be planted alongside garlic is tomatoes. Just like peppers, it is also prone to pests like spider mites. Garlic helps repels insects that feed on tomatoes.
4. Potatoes
Garlic is really effective in getting rid of pests and they are not only beneficial to potatoes when planted near them. But, you can also curb late potato blight by blending a couple of garlic gloves and spray them on your potatoes.
5. Roses
Garlic is one of the most recommended onion family plants for roses. Its strong scent helps prevent aphids infestation. Planting roses in your garden? Here are some of its compatible companion plants too.
6. Cabbage
Cabbage and garlic are commonly put together in a garden. You can also have garlic planted alongside other brassicas like cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and definitely cabbage. Garlic is known to help repel common cabbage pests such as cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, Japanese beetles, cabbage moths, and worms from crops.
7. Chamomile
Chamomile is a sweet-smelling herb that is often used in making tea and planting it near garlic is said to improve its flavor.
8. Spinach
Spinach will do just fine planted alongside garlic. This vegetable is almost as hardy as garlic hence they make a great companion in winter. Spinach can act as a weed barrier for garlic but ensure to choose a spinach cultivar that spreads around 6 to 9 inches and its growth at maturity should also be about 6 to 9 inches so it doesn’t overshadow your garlic.
9. Rue
Rue is one of the companion plants that improve your garlic overall health. It is also a common garden pest repellent plant particularly for its ability to keep flies and maggots away.
10. Strawberries
Gardeners have garlic and strawberries planted alongside each other to reduce the infestation of spider mites. Spider mites can ruin a strawberry patch so to avoid this, gardeners plant garlic or members of the onion family close.
11. Beet
Beets are great companions to garlic. Garlic and all member of the onion family can be used as companion plants to beet. Garlic helps repel common beet pests like coddling moths, snails, gophers, moles, Japanese beetles, and root maggots.
12. Carrots
Carrots and garlic offer each other support and a symbiotic relationship. Carrots help deter pests that feed on garlic and garlic, in turn, repel the carrot flies.
Worst Companion Plants For Garlic
You can pretty much grow anything with garlic due to its pest repelling powers but some plants actually suffer when planted as companion plants to garlic. While it will still help repel pests, it is known to stunt the growth of certain plants. Here are plants you should keep away from garlic.
1. Sage
Onions or any member of the allium family does not work with sage. These plants prefer moist soil while sage thrives in loamy, sandy, and well-drained soil.
2. Beans
The growth of beans is stunted if planted near garlic so it’s best to keep them away from each other.
3. Asparagus
Asparagus can’t share the same soil with garlic or the growth will be stunted. You can have asparagus planted a good distance away from your garlic and it will be just fine.
4. Parsley
Be sure to keep parsley far away from garlic as it’s another plant that gets stunted growth if planted with any allium plant.
FAQs
What bugs does garlic keep away?
Garlic keeps bugs like Japanese beetles, weevils, spider mites, and fruit tree borers.
Will garlic spray hurt plants?
Garlic spray is not going to hurt your plants rather they help keep harmful pests away. Bugs don’t like garlic spray and it also helps keep bacteria and harmful fungus away from your crops.
What bugs does garlic attract?
To control garden pests that can be of harm to garlic, you need to identify them. The bugs that are usually attracted to garlic are bulb mites, nematodes, leafminers, onion maggots, and thrips.
Can you grow garlic in water?
Yes, you can definitely try growing your garlic in water if you have no space in your garden.
Does garlic attract any animals?
There are many underground critters that feed on garlic but deer and other animals do not eat garlic due to its pungent smell.
Is Epsom salt good for garlic plants?
Scattering a couple of Epsom salt on your garlic bed can be its strength and help it thrive. Epsom salt can work for garlic because it produces its flavor compound from the sulfur it sucks from the soil.
Can you plant garlic in an herb garden?
Garlic can be planted with herbs that like moist soil. The best companion herbs for garlic include savory, chamomile, dill, and parsley.
Final Thoughts
Garlic is a plant worth having in your garden and it does pair nicely with lots of plants.
However, before planting and crops alongside each other, you should experiment with different combinations and arrangements. Companion planting is one of the best ways to encourage growth in your garden but keep in mind that you need a companion planting guide for each crop.
