What Are the Best Companion Plants for Broccoli?
Broccoli grows best with dill, sweet alyssum, cilantro, spinach and lettuce. 13 plants in our chart pair well with broccoli, mostly by deterring or trapping pests and using space and time efficiently; 3 of those pairings are research-supported.
| Plant | Why | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| DillPollinators & beneficials | Flowering dill feeds the parasitic wasps and hoverflies that attack cabbage worms and aphids on broccoli. | Research-supported |
| Sweet AlyssumPest control | Sweet alyssum's tiny flowers feed hoverflies and parasitic wasps; hoverfly larvae eat the aphids that attack broccoli. | Research-supported |
| CilantroPollinators & beneficials | Flowering cilantro feeds hoverflies and parasitic wasps that attack aphids and caterpillars in broccoli heads. | Research-supported |
| SpinachSpace & timing | Spinach fills the gaps between young broccoli plants and is cut before the broccoli canopy closes. | Practical |
| LettuceSpace & timing | Lettuce fills the gaps between young broccoli and is harvested before the broccoli canopy closes. | Practical |
| BeetsSpace & timing | Beets grow between broccoli plants at close spacing and don't compete for light. | Practical |
| NasturtiumsPest control | Nasturtiums often draw aphids and cabbage white butterflies away from broccoli as a sacrificial trap crop; results vary, and infested nasturtiums must be pulled. | Traditional |
| OnionsPest control | Onion-family scent is said to mask broccoli from cabbage moths and aphids; trials show small effects at best, but the narrow, upright plants take little space. | Traditional |
| RosemaryPest control | Rosemary scent is said to confuse cabbage moths looking for broccoli to lay eggs on; some trials found fewer eggs, others no difference. | Traditional |
| ThymePest control | Thyme scent is said to confuse cabbage moths looking for broccoli to lay eggs on; some trials found fewer eggs, others no difference. | Traditional |
| CeleryPest control | Celery's scent is a traditional deterrent for cabbage white butterflies on broccoli; both need rich, moist soil. | Traditional |
| RadishesPest control | Radishes are a traditional trap crop that pulls flea beetles away from broccoli transplants; results vary. | Traditional |
| MintPest control | Potted mint near broccoli is said to deter cabbage moths and flea beetles; the evidence is inconsistent. | Traditional |
Good companion plants for broccoli, strongest evidence first.
What Should You Not Plant With Broccoli?
Don't plant broccoli near tomatoes. The conflicts come mainly from competition for space, light or water; none of the 1 are research-supported and the rest are practical or traditional rules.
| Plant | Why | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| TomatoesCompetition | Both are heavy feeders that compete for nitrogen. The old rule to keep tomatoes and cabbage-family crops apart rests on competition, not proven harm — some growers even report fewer diamondback moths near tomatoes. | Traditional |
Plants to keep away from broccoli.
Which Broccoli Companion Claims Are Backed by Research?
3 of the 14 broccoli pairings in our data are research-supported: dill, sweet alyssum and cilantro. Of the rest, 3 rest on practical horticulture and 8 are traditional claims.
Research-supported pairings rest on documented biology: shared pathogens, pollination, nematode suppression or insects that feed on specific flowers. Practical pairings are plain logic about space, shade and timing. Traditional companions such as nasturtiums, onions, rosemary and thyme are harmless to grow with broccoli, but don't rely on them for pest control — row covers, crop rotation and regular checks do more.
How Should You Plant Broccoli With Companions?
Set broccoli about 18 inches (45 cm) apart and sow lettuce, spinach or radishes in the gaps right after transplanting; harvest them within five weeks. Edge the bed with sweet alyssum.
Companions still need room of their own, so work out how many broccoli and partner plants fit in a bed with the plant spacing calculator. Planting dates for broccoli and its companions follow your local spring and fall frost dates, so cool-season partners can be sown together in early spring or late summer for a fall crop.
Watering, feeding, light and harvest timing for broccoli are covered in the broccoli plant care guide.
Which Crops Share Companions With Broccoli?
Cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce share companion plants or growing conditions with broccoli, so their companion guides help plan the same bed or rotation.
- The guide to companion plants for cauliflower overlaps with this one: both crops grow well with dill, sweet alyssum and spinach; as members of the same plant family, the two should rotate together.
- The guide to companion plants for cabbage overlaps with this one: both crops grow well with dill, sweet alyssum and cilantro; as members of the same plant family, the two should rotate together.
- The guide to companion plants for lettuce overlaps with this one: both crops grow well with dill, sweet alyssum and cilantro, and lettuce is a good companion for broccoli too.
To check broccoli against every other plant at once, or test a whole bed plan, use the companion planting chart and garden checker.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best companion plant for broccoli?
- Dill is one of the best-supported companions for broccoli. Flowering dill feeds the parasitic wasps and hoverflies that attack cabbage worms and aphids on broccoli.
- What should you not plant with broccoli?
- Avoid planting broccoli near tomatoes. The most important conflict is with tomatoes: Both are heavy feeders that compete for nitrogen. The old rule to keep tomatoes and cabbage-family crops apart rests on competition, not proven harm — some growers even report fewer diamondback moths near tomatoes.
- Can you plant broccoli and cauliflower together?
- Yes, broccoli and cauliflower can share a bed; neither is known to help or harm the other. Both belong to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), so they share pests and diseases — rotate them together and don't follow one with the other.
- Does companion planting really work for broccoli?
- Partly. 3 of the 14 broccoli pairings in our data are backed by research, 3 are practical space or timing rules, and 8 are traditional. Flowers that feed beneficial insects and separating crops that share diseases have the strongest evidence.
Companion data: PlantoScan's own editorial compilation, written from general horticultural knowledge, plant pathology and published intercropping research. Evidence labels are our editorial judgment; results vary with climate, soil, variety and pest pressure.