Complete Gardening
Growing Brussels sprouts can be tricky, but choosing the right companion plants makes all the difference. Smart gardeners know that certain plants work together like best friends, helping each other grow stronger and healthier. When you pair Brussels sprouts with the perfect plant partners, you create a garden ecosystem that naturally fights pests, improves soil health, and boosts your harvest. These companion plants will transform your Brussels sprout patch into a thriving, productive garden space.
1. Marigolds
Marigolds act like tiny garden superheroes with their bright, cheerful blooms. These colorful flowers release natural chemicals that keep harmful insects away from your Brussels sprouts.
Aphids and cabbage worms hate the smell of marigolds, so they stay far away from your precious vegetables. Plant marigolds around the edges of your Brussels sprout bed for maximum protection.
The flowers also attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that eat garden pests. Marigolds are easy to grow and bloom all season long, making them perfect beginner-friendly companions.
2. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums work as living pest traps, drawing harmful insects away from your Brussels sprouts like magnets. These climbing flowers with their distinctive round leaves create a beautiful carpet around your vegetable plants.
Flea beetles and aphids prefer nasturtiums over Brussels sprouts, so they attack the flowers instead of your food. This clever trick is called trap cropping, and gardeners have used it for centuries.
The flowers are completely edible and add a peppery flavor to salads. Nasturtiums also improve soil health by adding nutrients when their leaves decompose naturally.
3. Dill
Dill brings beneficial insects to your garden party like a gracious host. This feathery herb attracts wasps and other helpful predators that hunt down cabbage worms and other Brussels sprout pests.
The strong scent of dill also confuses harmful insects, making it harder for them to find your vegetables. Plant dill between your Brussels sprout rows for the best pest control results.
Fresh dill leaves make delicious additions to cooking, especially with fish and pickles. The umbrella-shaped flower heads provide landing spots for tiny beneficial insects that need places to rest and hunt for food.
4. Carrots
Carrots make excellent underground neighbors for Brussels sprouts because they use different soil layers. While Brussels sprouts spread their roots near the surface, carrots grow deep into the ground.
This partnership means both plants get the nutrients they need without competing. Carrots also help break up hard soil with their long taproots, making it easier for Brussels sprout roots to spread.
The timing works perfectly too – you can harvest carrots while Brussels sprouts are still growing. Carrot flowers attract beneficial insects when you let some plants go to seed, creating a win-win situation for your entire garden.
5. Onions
Onions act like natural bodyguards for Brussels sprouts, using their strong smell to keep pests away. Cabbage moths, aphids, and flea beetles all dislike the pungent odor that onions release.
These bulb vegetables take up very little space and can be tucked between Brussels sprout plants easily. Onions also improve soil health by adding sulfur compounds that many plants need to grow strong.
You can harvest green onion tops throughout the growing season without disturbing the bulbs. The compact size of onions means they won’t compete with Brussels sprouts for sunlight or growing space in your garden beds.
6. Lettuce
Lettuce works as a living mulch beneath Brussels sprout plants, keeping the soil cool and moist. This leafy green grows quickly and stays low to the ground, making perfect use of the space under taller vegetables.
The shallow roots of lettuce don’t compete with Brussels sprouts for nutrients. Instead, lettuce helps prevent weeds from growing and reduces water evaporation from the soil surface.
You can harvest lettuce leaves continuously while your Brussels sprouts develop slowly over the season. This companion planting strategy maximizes your garden space and gives you fresh salad greens throughout the growing period.
7. Chives
Chives bring natural pest control to your Brussels sprout patch with their onion-like scent. These perennial herbs return year after year, making them a long-term investment in your garden’s health.
The purple flowers attract beneficial insects while repelling harmful ones like aphids and cabbage worms. Chives grow in neat clumps that won’t spread aggressively or take over your vegetable space.
Fresh chives add mild onion flavor to cooking and can be harvested repeatedly without harming the plant. The grass-like leaves provide textural contrast to the broad Brussels sprout foliage, creating an attractive garden design while serving practical purposes.
8. Spinach
Spinach thrives in the partial shade created by Brussels sprout plants, making it an ideal companion for cooler weather. This leafy green actually prefers some protection from hot afternoon sun.
Both plants enjoy similar growing conditions and soil types, making garden care much easier. Spinach grows quickly and can be harvested multiple times before Brussels sprouts reach full size.
The low-growing habit of spinach helps suppress weeds around Brussels sprout plants. You can succession plant spinach every few weeks to ensure continuous harvests of fresh greens throughout the growing season, maximizing your garden’s productivity.
9. Garlic
Garlic serves as a powerful pest deterrent with its strong sulfur compounds that insects find offensive. Plant garlic cloves in fall, and they’ll be ready to protect your Brussels sprouts the following growing season.
The narrow, upright growth of garlic plants takes up minimal space while providing maximum pest control benefits. Garlic also improves soil health by adding natural antifungal properties.
You can harvest garlic scapes in early summer for cooking while leaving the bulbs to mature underground. This dual-purpose approach gives you fresh garlic for the kitchen while maintaining pest protection for your Brussels sprouts throughout the entire growing season.
10. Beets
Beets complement Brussels sprouts perfectly because they grow at different levels and harvest times. The colorful leaves of beets add visual interest to your vegetable garden while the roots develop underground.
These root vegetables help break up compacted soil, improving drainage and air circulation for Brussels sprout roots. Beets also add valuable nutrients to the soil when their leaves decompose.
You can harvest beet greens early in the season for salads, then let the roots continue growing. The different maturation times mean you get fresh vegetables throughout the season while both plants support each other’s growth and health.
11. Radishes
Radishes grow incredibly fast and can be harvested before Brussels sprouts need the space. These quick-growing root vegetables act as natural soil cultivators, breaking up hard ground with their taproots.
The peppery scent of radishes helps deter flea beetles and other pests that commonly attack Brussels sprouts. Radishes also serve as indicator plants, showing you soil conditions and potential problems early.
You can plant radishes multiple times throughout the season in the same space. Their rapid growth cycle means you get fresh, crisp radishes for salads while preparing the soil for your slower-growing Brussels sprouts to thrive.
12. Chamomile
Chamomile acts like a garden pharmacy, improving the health and flavor of nearby Brussels sprouts. This gentle herb attracts beneficial insects while releasing natural compounds that strengthen neighboring plants.
The small, daisy-like flowers bloom continuously and provide nectar for helpful pollinators and pest predators. Chamomile also improves soil health by accumulating nutrients from deep in the ground.
You can harvest chamomile flowers for soothing tea while leaving some to benefit your Brussels sprouts. The low-growing habit and delicate appearance of chamomile creates a beautiful contrast to the sturdy Brussels sprout plants in your garden design.