Strawberries are a great plant to grow, so long as the animals don’t get them first! But there are also some plants that grow well with strawberries, whether you’re growing them in a container or in the ground.
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(And it is suggested if you don’t want your entire garden to become a strawberry patch to grow them in a container – read about different types of containers to grow strawberries in)!
Not only do these strawberry companion plants work well in the same sustaining requirements as the strawberries, they also pair well together for other reasons!
Looking for how to grow strawberries indoors? Check out this extensive post!
What To Look For In Companion Plants
The most important things to look for when searching for a companion plant for anything you might be growing include:
Does it require the same soil type? Are the water needs similar? Will they share the space evenly?
Does the sun requirement match for both plants? Can these plants help one another with nutrients or other beneficial factors?
One of the biggest things to think about, especially when it comes to strawberries, is that strawberries attract so many animals and insects. If you aren’t careful, the birds or small animals will eat them before you get a chance to!
What can help is to have plants that attract pollinators nearby, but also have plants that repel unwanted insects, worms, diseases, or animals planted close by! (This doesn’t matter as much if you are growing the plants indoors, as it’s less likely for a bird to come and snatch a strawberry).
These are 6 great strawberry companion plants to grow in your strawberry patches!
Bush Beans
Bush beans are a great companion plant for strawberries for a few reasons. A main one is that their roots go deeper into the ground, so they are not fighting for soil with the strawberries, that have a shallow root system.
Bush beans are also great ground cover, making it more difficult for the strawberries to be easily spotted by birds. They also fertilize the soil, making it richer for the strawberries.
Not only will they grow well with strawberries, but you will also be able to get more produce out of the same space.
Unlike pole beans, these beans grow on a bush, so you don’t need anything for them to grow onto.
Asparagus
Not only does asparagus look like a mini tree and taste great grilled, but it also works well to grow with strawberries. Same with the bush beans, the root systems are at a different depth, so they won’t be competing.
Asparagus can be planted after the last frost, and prefers full sun areas. This is a plant that patience and planning is a good idea on, because they do their best producing after a few years of being planted.
This is a great, cheap plant comparative to buying in the store because once it’s planted, it should keep growing for years and years to come! Harvest by slicing at the base of the thicker plants before they go to seed!
Borage
Borage is the most commonly suggested companion plant for strawberries, and would be great in any place that you are trying to grow strawberries! Borage helps deter unwanted pests, attracts the insects that are beneficial for strawberries, and may also improve the flavor.
Borage is an herb with purple flowers, that can have medicinal properties as well as just used in cooking. Borage prefers a sunny spot to grow in, and can be started from seed fairly easily.
Borage is also a great zucchini companion plant!
Onions
Onions might not seem like a good strawberry companion plant, but they do benefit one another! Onions like cooler areas, so growing strawberries in the same space acts as a bit of shade and ground cover to keep the soil cooler.
Not only that, but the scent of onions may deter animals from noticing the strawberry scent, keeping them from stealing all of your strawberries. Onions are fairly easy to grow, and you can even grow them from your food scraps!
Spinach
Spinach is another great strawberry companion plant, and it can be grown multiple times a year. It’s thought that these plants help the other grow, and the spinach acts as cover for the strawberries from being visible to birds and other animals.
Start spinach from seed in your strawberry patch, and have a very plentiful harvest a few times throughout the year!
Not only do they grow well together, but you could also make a great strawberry spinach salad with your freshly grown produce!
Read how to harvest spinach here!
Marigolds
Marigolds are a great companion plant for so many reasons. This is an article about why you should grow marigold in your vegetable garden, and another on the different types of marigolds.
Not only do marigolds attract bees and ladybugs, they repel some unwanted insects, some have a scent that deters larger animals, and another variety will attract nematodes (small worms in the ground) to their roots so they don’t harm the plants you are trying to grow!
Have you decided which plants to grow together from these strawberry companion plants? Happy gardening and eating your fresh strawberries!
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