What Are the Best Companion Plants for Cabbage?
Cabbage grows best with dill, sweet alyssum, cilantro, beets and potatoes. 14 plants in our chart pair well with cabbage, mostly by deterring or trapping pests and attracting pollinators and beneficial insects; 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 cabbage. | Research-supported |
| Sweet AlyssumPest control | Sweet alyssum's tiny flowers feed hoverflies and parasitic wasps; hoverfly larvae eat the aphids that attack cabbage. | Research-supported |
| CilantroPollinators & beneficials | Flowering cilantro feeds the parasitic wasps that attack cabbageworm caterpillars. | Research-supported |
| BeetsSpace & timing | Beets fit between cabbage plants and are pulled before the heads need the full space. | Practical |
| PotatoesSpace & timing | Early cabbage and potatoes were traditionally grown side by side; they are unrelated and share few pests or diseases. | Traditional |
| NasturtiumsPest control | Nasturtiums often draw aphids and cabbage white butterflies away from cabbage as a sacrificial trap crop; results vary, and infested nasturtiums must be pulled. | Traditional |
| OnionsPest control | Onion-family scent is said to mask cabbage from cabbage moths and aphids; trials show small effects at best, but the narrow, upright plants take little space. | Traditional |
| ThymePest control | Thyme scent is said to confuse cabbage moths looking for cabbage to lay eggs on; some trials found fewer eggs, others no difference. | Traditional |
| SagePest control | Sage scent is said to confuse cabbage moths looking for cabbage to lay eggs on; some trials found fewer eggs, others no difference. | Traditional |
| RosemaryPest control | Rosemary scent is said to confuse cabbage moths looking for cabbage to lay eggs on; some trials found fewer eggs, others no difference. | Traditional |
| MintPest control | Mint grown in a pot near cabbage is a traditional deterrent for cabbage moths and flea beetles; trials give inconsistent results. | Traditional |
| CeleryPest control | Celery's scent is a traditional deterrent for cabbage white butterflies on cabbage; both need rich, moist soil. | Traditional |
| GarlicPest control | Garlic is said to deter cabbage worms and aphids; field effects are weak, but garlic occupies the bed early in the year. | Traditional |
| LeeksPest control | Onion-family scent is said to mask cabbage from cabbage moths and aphids; trials show small effects at best, but the narrow, upright plants take little space. | Traditional |
Good companion plants for cabbage, strongest evidence first.
What Should You Not Plant With Cabbage?
Don't plant cabbage near tomatoes and strawberries. The conflicts come mainly from competition for space, light or water and a traditional claim of stunted growth; none of the 2 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 |
| StrawberriesClaimed growth inhibition | Cabbage-family crops are said to stunt strawberries; there's no good evidence, though both attract slugs and compete for nitrogen. | Traditional |
Plants to keep away from cabbage.
Which Cabbage Companion Claims Are Backed by Research?
3 of the 16 cabbage pairings in our data are research-supported: dill, sweet alyssum and cilantro. Of the rest, 1 rests on practical horticulture and 12 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 potatoes, nasturtiums, onions and thyme are harmless to grow with cabbage, but don't rely on them for pest control — row covers, crop rotation and regular checks do more.
How Should You Plant Cabbage With Companions?
Plant cabbage 18 to 24 inches (45–60 cm) apart, with onions or celery between plants and thyme or sage along the edge. Let dill or cilantro flower at the ends of the bed.
Companions still need room of their own, so work out how many cabbage and partner plants fit in a bed with the plant spacing calculator. Planting dates for cabbage 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.
Which Crops Share Companions With Cabbage?
Broccoli, kale and cauliflower share companion plants or growing conditions with cabbage, so their companion guides help plan the same bed or rotation.
- The guide to companion plants for broccoli 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 kale 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 cauliflower overlaps with this one: both crops grow well with dill, sweet alyssum and nasturtiums; as members of the same plant family, the two should rotate together.
To check cabbage 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 cabbage?
- Dill is one of the best-supported companions for cabbage. Flowering dill feeds the parasitic wasps and hoverflies that attack cabbage worms and aphids on cabbage.
- What should you not plant with cabbage?
- Avoid planting cabbage near tomatoes and strawberries. 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 cabbage and broccoli together?
- Yes, cabbage and broccoli 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 cabbage?
- Partly. 3 of the 16 cabbage pairings in our data are backed by research, 1 is practical space or timing rules, and 12 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.