Whilst eating garlic might keep companions away, planting it with other vegetables in your garden is a great idea to help with pests and support other plants to thrive.
Arguably, garlic is one of the most reliable plants to grow in your garden. Not only is it relatively easy to grow, but it takes up next to no space and improves the soil quality for the plants around it. Companion planting using garlic means that your vegetables, fruits and flowers that are struggling can reach their full potential.
Look no further, here’s our comprehensive list of the best garlic companion plants.
What is companion planting?
Companion planting has been going on for many centuries and is pretty much where different species are planted together for mutual benefit. This could be one plant providing shade for another, a neighbouring plant boosting nutrients in the soil. In garlic’s case, it keeps pests away.
Due to its pungent scent, garlic is great at keeping pests away, including:
- Cabbage loopers
- Spider mites
- Codling moths
- Fungus gnats
- Ants
- Snails
- Even rabbits!
The best garlic companion plants
From fruit trees to flowers, there are many garden plants that thrive when they’re planted near garlic.
Here’s everything that you can, and should, plant with garlic:
- Fruit trees
- Dill
- Beetroot
- Kale
- Spinach
- Potato
- Carrot
- Eggplant
- Tomato
- Capsicum
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Rose
- Geranium
- Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Strawberry
1. Strawberries
The deliciously sweet strawberries are a favourite among many pests because of their scent and bright colouring. The easiest way to deter pests is with a few pungent garlic plants placed around your strawberry plants.
2. Spinach
Spinach is almost as hardy as garlic, which is why they make great winter companions. Plant garlic in a row or circle around spinach to protect it from pests and disease during cold winters.
3. Cabbage family
The cabbage family (cabbage, broccoli, kale) in particular are susceptible to insect attacks. This makes the natural deterrent of garlic perfect for planting with Brassicaceae types. Plus, what goes better together than garlic and cruciferous vegies?
4. Tomatoes
Red spider mites are the archenemy of tomato plants. Luckily, garlic can come to the rescue! Plant your garlic bulbs close to your tomato trellis to avoid any infestations and damaged tomatoes.
5. Roses
Roses and garlic are the best of friends. The stinky smell of garlic leaves (which is covered by the delicious smell of roses to the human nose) keeps roses many pests away, including black spot.
Plants that do not grow well with garlic
Although garlic has many friends, it also has a few enemies. Garlic actually inhibits the growth of peas and beans, so keep them at a safe distance.
Planting onions and garlic together won’t have a drastic impact on either crop, but it will have a big impact on those around them. Onions, chives and shallots are all part of the allium family, and do amazing work at deterring pests and grubs.
How long does garlic take to grow?
Homegrown garlic takes between seven to eight months to grow.
Once you’ve harvested the crop, you should look at planting something different in the nutrient-rich soil that it has left behind.
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