Garlic companion plants: good & bad

Growing garlic with other plants can help protect against some pests and diseases. However, not all plants like to be grown with garlic as it can also have a negative effect.

Practised for thousands of years, companion planting or intercropping is the process of growing certain plants alongside each other for their mutual benefit. Read on to discover what plants are good companions for garlic and those that should not be grown together.

Garlic companion plants

As a key kitchen ingredient, garlic (Allium sativum) is widely available in most food shops. However, you can also grow garlic at home and reap the benefits it can have for the rest of your garden. For example, growing certain plants with garlic can help keep weeds and maggots at bay and even improve the garlic’s flavour. Furthermore, growing garlic with other crops can reduce pests such as aphids (Aphidoidea), spider mites (Tetranychidae) and slugs and snails (Gastropoda) as well as encourage pollination.

As with many other vegetables and ornamentals, garlic prefers to be grown in a sunny position on light and nutrient-rich soil that is neutral to alkaline. Our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost has a pH of 6 to 7.5 and contains the essential nutrients and minerals to support the garlic’s growth. However, if space is at a premium, you can also grow garlic in pots.

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Good companion plants for garlic

There are many plants that benefit from being grown near or with garlic. For example, growing garlic near carrots (Daucus carota) can help repel carrot flies (Psila rosae), which can ruin your carrot harvest. Growing garlic under fruit trees can also be beneficial, as garlic emits sulphur into the soil, which has antifungal properties. When planted under apple trees (Malus domestica), garlic can help ward off apple tree pests and diseases, such as aphids (Aphidoidea) and scab (Venturia inaequalis). Here are some other vegetables and herbs that are good companions for garlic:

• Aubergines (Solanum melongena)
• Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)
• Broccoli (Brassica oleracea Italica Group)
• Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group)
• Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
• Carrots (Daucus carota)
• Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group)
• Dill (Anethum graveolens)
• Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group)
• Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
• Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
• Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
• Raspberries (Rubus idaeus)
• Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
• Strawberries (Fragaria)
• Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)

Garlic is not only a good companion plant for some fruits and vegetables, but ornamentals as well. Roses (Rosa) can be blighted by aphids (Macrosiphum rosae) during the summer months, which feed on the sap and can result in poor growth. If you plant garlic with your roses, the garlic’s aroma will help deter these pests and some other fungal diseases. Here are some other annuals and perennials that can be grown with garlic:

• Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
• Tender geraniums (Pelargonium)
• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Bad companion plants for garlic

However, not all plants are good garlic companion plants. For example, legumes can struggle when grown with garlic leading to stunted growth. Likewise, other alliums like onions (Allium cepa) should not be grown with garlic as this may lead to a build-up of soil-borne pests and can encourage onion flies (Delia antiqua). With its powerful aroma and flavour, it is recommended not to plant garlic with any delicate-tasting crops because it may adversely affect their taste. Here are some more plants that should not be planted with garlic:

• Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
• Beans (Phaseolus and Vicia)
• Leeks (Allium porrum)
• Onions (Allium cepa)
• Ornamental onions (Allium spec.)
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
• Peas (Pisum sativum)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Spring onions (Allium cepa)

As a low-maintenance crop, garlic requires little ongoing care. Discover more and learn how to plant garlic in our separate article.